


Woven and Torn

by SaraiNomed



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Canon, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Blood and Injury, Doomed Relationship, Drama & Romance, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Getting to Know Each Other, Hazel Rainart needs more love, Partners in Crime, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:19:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 28,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26658817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaraiNomed/pseuds/SaraiNomed
Summary: Coral Loxley is in way over her head. Sure, she's managed to claw her way to the one person who could help her get what she wants, but once she does she realizes it's a lot harder and further fall if she slips. Her only solace and....friend? in this mess is the enormous, stoic Hazel, a man to whom she feels a strange pull and connection, but why? What weaves them closer together..and what could tear them apart?
Relationships: Hazel Rainart/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 1





	1. Threads

**Author's Note:**

> This story would not even exist, nor be at the point where I have the will and courage to publish it, if it weren't for the wonderful people that have supported me throughout it's creation. Thus, I would like to dedicate this work to my hubby, whom despite not being into fan-fiction encourages me to write nonetheless; my boyfriend (I'm poly), who is always happy to hear me talk about my plot ideas and supports me; and to my friends from Tumblr, mistwolf4 and lucklesslongshot, who have also talked with me about, encouraged and cheered me on. This story was saved because of you.  
> Thank you.

The tension in the guest house living room was almost suffocating as the group sat around the central table, with Coral at the 'head' of the circle, her hands bound and glowering silently at them.

One man, the leader of their team named Grey, strode in circles around them, arms folded tightly behind him and jaw clenched. “Alright Coral,” he said as calmly as he could, “Now you're going to tell us why, and how, you missed that shot.”

The seconds ticked by, a wall clock far too loud, before she replied, “Everyone has an off day.”

Barely had the words left her mouth before Grey slammed his fists onto the table, the loud bang echoing in the thick silence that followed. He paced again before whirling to face her, face flushed with anger, “I've seen you hit a soda can dead center from a hundred yards! I've seen you, in the chaos of battle, pierce a Grimm's eye while in mid-air!” he stomped over, leaning down, “Now I'm going to ask you one more time how you missed a target as large as Hazel Rainart when he was standing still, and you're going to tell me!”

The whole time he had been shouting, her mind had not been there, but buried in memories. She had dodged this bullet for a long time, and as painful as it would be...perhaps they had a right to know. Had they not traveled together for the last several years? Had they not fought together, laughed, cried, celebrated, mourned? Had they not taken her in when she had had little desire left to live, given her another chance, even a home?

Her roped hands clenched in her lap, shaking as memories she had long buried for her own good began to resurface and hot, bitter tears pricked her vision. Raising her eyes to meet his with equal ferocity she stood so they were barely inches apart, “Get out of my face. And I'll tell you.” 

Grey backed away with an audible growl, the rage in his icy eyes tinged with a deep sadness.

Cynthia, in her usual diplomatic, calm tone said, “Coral, we don't know the details of your past, and have never prodded out of respect. We figured you'd tell us when you were ready...but now the matter is, I'm afraid, being pressed. We know you've been through a lot...we care about you. Please, would you tell us what's going on?”

As Cynthia had been speaking Coral wandered to a large window and gazed out over the city, painted with shades of gold and orange from the setting sun, and she found herself wondering where he was at that moment. Was he alone? With the others? Had he seen her as she turned and ran, wondering if he had imagined things? She felt the group's eyes intently on her back as she began, “Wouldn't be shocked if you kick me out after this...”

5 YEARS AGO

The cavernous room was quiet save for the distant screech of a Grimm and the tapping of Coral's boots on the stone floor as she approached the long table in the center and stopped. At the far end, sitting calmly yet still imposing was the powerful, cryptic figure of Salem, who nodded to grant her permission to step closer.

“You've been away for some time, Coral. What is the report from your scouting?”

The stony-faced archer bowed lowly, the long tails of her tunic brushing the ground, “Your Grace, there are many rumors surrounding the location of the fall maiden. My contacts and I have been weeding out the false ones to focus on the more promising tips. We should have a more concrete position very soon.”

“Good. Continue to do so, and report any of those promising ones. That is all.”

“Yes your Grace.”

Coral stood and turned to leave, avoiding eye contact with Tyrian and Watts as they sat waiting in their respective chairs for their own turns, while Cinder, a young teen that had only recently joined the group sat closest to Salem. They always gave her the creeps, especially Tyrian, though to be fair, he gave nearly everyone the creeps. The only one that she didn't mind was Hazel. 

Out of all of them, he seemed to be the most...approachable, despite his naturally intimidating size, and while the others were quite happy to talk about their schemes and motives, he had thus far not uttered a single word of what drove him. He uttered few words at all. There was also how while his comrades had shown her nothing but distrust and even outright hostility, he had been gruff, yet surprisingly kind. He was an enigma, one that, for some reason, occupied far more of her thoughts than she cared to admit. Her gaze caught his for a moment as she walked out, though she didn't dare smile nor make any other sort of acknowledgment.

Back in the small guest room she had been granted for her stays here, she flopped heavily onto the bed, weary from the day's work and the thoughts on her mind. How long could she keep up this charade of cool, hard strength? She had done very well for herself, infiltrating many dark and unscrupulous circles before making her way here, and now that she was, she had gleaned invaluable resources from and dare she think, even respect from the terrifying sorceress known as Salem. Her goals were, though still distant, more within reach than ever before. Soon, she hoped, she'd be able to face the one whom she had burned to for years, to stand over him, arrow trained inches from his face as he pleaded for mercy. 

She clenched her fists, white-knuckled with rage. Someday, somehow, he would face justice. Bringing herself back down, she flopped backwards with a sigh, “Great job getting yourself into this...now to follow through. Alive.”

\- Coral was making her way to her room from training several days later when she heard a low grunting and shuffling steps around the corner. Instinctively she notched an arrow and readied herself; had one of the Grimm escaped the training area? It wasn't unheard of. Stepping to the side to get a better view, she blinked and lowered her weapon, heart leaping as she saw Hazel making his way down the hall, clutching his bandage-swathed arms.

“What-” she started, then got a little closer, “Are you...what happened?”

He paused and flicked his gaze to hers. Something in her had to fight back the instinct to reach out to him as he said only, “Ran into some...trouble. It didn't end well.”

With that he continued on. Coral swallowed hard; there was a lot of blood coming from those wounds, and she couldn't quite tell but it seemed he might be in pain. She knew of his Semblance, however she was unsure of it's limits. The sudden, powerful urge to help him hit her like a brick. Taking a glance around, she saw there was no one else and this might be her only chance.

“Hazel. Wait.” she said calmly.

He paused, “Yes?”

“I have a first aid kit. I could patch you up.”

“As do I. I'll be fine.”

Trying another approach, she grabbed one of the plastic, water-filled pods she always carried and broke it, soaking her hand and activating her own Semblance, Frostbite, an ability that enabled her to freeze and even shape liquids she came into physical contact with. Instantly her hand became coated in a misty, white ice and she held it up for him to see, “I can help you. The cold soothes aches and stiff muscles, and can help close or sanitize wounds. I can use any liquid to do it, be it water, aloe, or-”

“I'll be fine.” he repeated, and was on his way again. Coral sighed and lowered her hand, letting the water defrost and trickle to the floor. She started to turn away when he quietly called to her. She spun, perhaps a tad too eager and he turned his head just enough to look at her.

“Thank you.”

-The large Grimm's claws whooshed just above her head as she rolled to avoid it's swipes, leaping onto a broken chunk of stone as she readied an arrow from her weapon, an elaborate bow she'd named Lily's Thorn and spun to let it fly. It struck true, hitting the beast in the eye and it shrieked, pawing at it's face. 

One week had passed, and Coral spent a fair chunk of her time in the training arena, honing her skills after a rough encounter with a group of bandits a couple days prior, and keeping her focus on her tasks and not...elsewhere. Seeing the Beowolf was distracted, she tapped the button that retracted the bowstring, turning her bow into a long, two-ended curved blade and rushed in for the final blow-just as it whirled and swung one paw, slapping her away. She went tumbling, slamming her head off the floor so hard it stunned her, rendering her dizzy as her ears rang and vision swam, but not so much she couldn't see the approaching, enraged Grimm as it prepared to pounce-

A sudden blur of green filled her vision field and she heard the muffled sounds of scuffling, then a loud snap mixed with the monster's gargled screams before things were abruptly more still. Shaking her head and clumsily dragging herself to her feet, she rubbed her face quickly to clear her vision to see the dead Grimm slowly dissipating into the air, Hazel's arms still around it's throat. He let go, rolling his head and cracking his neck before turning to face her.

“You shouldn't take on more than you can handle.”

Coral gritted her teeth, equally embarrassed and frustrated, “I've faced them before. This one just got the better of me for a second.”

He hummed, “A second could be the difference between life and death, as you just experienced. Choose your opponents carefully.”

He approached, and it was only when he was right in front of her did it occur to her how massive he truly was; she had never been this close to him, and she fought back the goosebumps pricking her skin. He gestured to her weapon, “Your close-combat skills are lacking; that's why you failed. I suggest you work on them more. Next time I might not be there.”

“....You were watching?”

“I make it my habit to try and know the abilities of my allies, enemies, and those I'm not sure of.” he replied coolly, letting her know exactly where she stood. Still...

Before she knew what she doing, something deep inside guiding her to do so she blurted out, “Would you be willing to train me?” She stopped herself from wincing as regret instantly set in. What was she thinking?! This was Hazel, one of Salem's most inner circle. He had plenty of his own work to do, he didn't have time to bother with her, not to mention he had just made it clear he didn't trust her yet.

“I mean,” she continued, scrambling to come up with a plausible reason, “After all, your skills in that area are unmatched, and if we're going to aid Salem should our abilities not be at their peak-”

“Very well.” he replied, and Coral almost did a double take-did he really just agree to train with her?

Instead she stood up straight and tall, but even then the top of her head only reached his sternum, “Thank you. I will work hard and learn well.”

“Instead of telling me you will, show me.” he said, taking several steps backwards, spreading his feet in a slight crouch, fists raised in a defensive position.

Oh, so the lessons started immediately. She gave her head a shake to make sure she was ready before taking a stance herself, gripping her bow tightly. With a shout she rushed in, and their sparring began...

Later in her room, she hissed in a breath as she used her ability to soothe her throbbing muscles and joints. She felt as if she had been thrown into a wall multiple times, and if she remembered correctly, she had. Hazel had not gone easy on her, and those thick arms packed just as much of a punch as she had imagined. It seemed they both shared the philosophy of learn the hard way, the right way, the first time. Still, she knew he had been holding back. 

What she couldn't imagine, however, was what he could do when he wasn't holding back...

Several days passed before they had another session, and this time Coral managed to get a few good hits in. At the end, seeing the bruises she had given him, again something tugged at her and she said, “That offer is still on the table. To use my powers to help you.”

“And my answer is still thank you, but no.”

“It remains open should you ever change your mind.”

He turned his head to regard her silently, and unable to read his expression and unsure what to say she simply stared back at him, waiting for him to speak or her to-

“You did well today. Keep working on it.” he said before striding away.

Quite soon afterwards, he was sent on a mission and Coral had her own tasks to attend to, consequently it was over a month before their paths crossed again. Coral was in her guest room going over a few documents right after getting back, intending to present them to Salem, when she heard three solid raps on her door. Setting the papers down she approached it with a casual “Yes?” before cracking it open-and her heart nearly stopped.

Hazel stood resting his forehead on his wrist as he leaned against the door frame, his arms covered in bandages near the elbow, dried blood visible at their edges. He looked utterly exhausted, with deep bags under his eyes, duller than usual. 

“What the-” Coral started, but he interrupted with, “I don't typically do this but...I think I'll take up that offer, if you don't mind.”

After getting him inside and seating him on the edge of her bed, he removed his coat and Coral got to work. Taking a couple water pods, she broke them and in moments her hands looked like they had been dipped in frost. Gingerly at first, she moved her hands over his arms, back and neck, sometimes making direct contact and sometimes just letting the cold radiate into his skin. She wasn't sure she should pry about how he had gotten into such a state, and he said nothing except to mutter where another particularly uncomfortable spot was. Eventually she ventured to ask, “Is it helping?”

“Yes...” he replied, “This will speed my recovery greatly.”

She nodded simply, continuing until all the water had evaporated. She stepped back as he stood, his frame taking up a fair portion of the small room. Undoing the bandages on one arm, Coral resisted a gasp at the sight of the numerous deep, mangled scars crisscrossing his skin. He flexed that arm, rolling his shoulder then testing the other joints. Coral had to keep her face calm even as a hot thrill seared in her gut at his display and she cursed herself, wondering briefly how it felt to be lifted more gently in those arms.

His expression became more relaxed than she'd ever seen as his gaze flicked her way, “Thank you. I feel much better.”

“I'm glad. Should you ever wish to try this again, simply let me know.”

“I have a suspicion I may be...” he replied, the barest touch of concern coloring his tone and Coral frowned.

“Is there something I should be aware of?”

He paused, studying her, and as always she fought to keep her dangerously budding inner feelings well hidden before she faltered, eyebrows shooting up and letting a small gasp slip as he reached out the unbandaged arm and rested his large hand on her shoulder, “Just know this; things are falling into place. We'll all be more busy soon. I'd keep working on your fighting skills.”

With that cryptic note, he removed his hand and nodding respectfully, let himself out. Coral stood there for a few moments, pondering his words and feeling the lingering warmth of his skin slowly fading from her own... 

Over the next couple weeks, whenever they had time, they fell into a sort of routine; Hazel helping her spar and sharpen her combat abilities, and Coral healing his body afterwards. As they did, slowly, they began to build a cautious bond, finding themselves able to relax, to talk and open up more. 

Hazel told her about growing up helping his father logging in the woods, how he had once considered enrolling in a Hunter's academy when he was old enough but decided against it. He would sometimes stop short in the middle of a story, as if something there was too personal, too much to share just yet. 

Coral spoke of her home on the backstreets of Mistral and growing up poor but happy-until both her parents lost their jobs and the family gradually fell into desperate poverty. That's when her and her older brother Jett began to pickpocket and scam tourists, using their Semblances to aid them. 

“No matter what, no matter how, we were always there for each other...he used to call me 'Sticks' because I was a skinny kid and I was always stuck to him. His nickname was 'Stones', because he was tough as rock and we always went together.” Coral smiled wistfully one evening as her hands glided over Hazel's shoulders.

“Where is he now?” he asked.

Instantly, Coral stopped. Hazel picked up on the change in the air, not needing to see her face, and before she spoke he already knew.

“He's gone.” she said, flatly and simply, then went back to her work. They were silent after that, and when Coral was finished, Hazel cleared his throat as he stood.

“I apologize. I didn't mean to upset you.”

“It's alright. It was a fair question. Are we practicing again tomorrow?” she replied, changing the subject.

He shook his head, understanding her need for distraction, “Unlikely. I have things to do, and there's a meeting for everyone. You will be expected to present the findings from your last trip.”

She nodded and he turned to leave but paused, one hand on the doorknob and voice softly somber, “...I've lost someone close to me as well. I know what it can do to you. If you ever...” he met her gaze briefly, as if considering saying more, before looking away again, “Have a good night.”

He stepped out and closed the door behind him, sighing as he made his way to his own room, the exchange dredging up memories he didn't feel like revisiting at the moment. He never saw the shadow that passed over deeper ones nearby, yellow eyes glowing poisonously in the gloom.


	2. Drawing Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the months pass, Coral and Hazel find themselves becoming closer, even when they are far apart. Finally they are set to a task that allows them to have time to themselves away from Evernight and all it's dark, twisted madness, where they learn even more about what drives, and what haunts, each other...

True to his word, the next couple months were abruptly much busier for everyone is Salem's circle. Coral hardly saw anyone she had grown accustomed to skulking about; the young girl Cinder had been sent away for 'training', Watts had been either sent on missions or locked himself in his lab, though he still shot her that haughty, disapproving stare if ever they met. Tyrian still lurked about when he wasn't being sent on his own errands but was also, mercifully, mostly absent. The times their paths crossed, Coral always felt goosebumps prick her skin as his razor-sharp gaze passed over her, picking up her pace while his chuckle haunted her. 

The only person, of course, she missed seeing was _him_. Being the most diplomatic of the group, he had been assigned to reach out to and attempt to forge ties with possible allies. She herself was also quite busy, working with several outside Hunters not opposed to more unscrupulous work; most had had their licenses removed for one reason or another. In their eyes, questions were unnecessary, and money was money, after all. 

Rumors started circulating about an older woman from a small town to the south of Mistral, a person of strange and exceptional power and wisdom whose eyes glowed crimson and gold. Enough of these tips poured in that it couldn't be ignored, and one day Coral knelt nervously in Salem's counsel room, going over her proposal for a mission to find this woman.

'...And so, I truly feel we have actually found her this time.”

Salem nodded, “I too have heard these stories...this is your task then; if it is true and she is there, you will bring her back, alive. You will depart in the morning. Gather what you need and head to the airship docks. But, you won't be going alone. Hazel?”

He sat up straighter in his chair, “Yes?”

With a sweeping gesture, Salem said, “You will accompany Coral. I trust with your respective sills combined, you will find success.”

Coral kept her gaze on the ground, face impassive, masking the combination of giddy joy and utter terror in her heart. She didn't know whether to be elated to be be afforded the chance to spend more time with him away from the ever-present specter of the Queen and her minions or curse this move that, if she wasn't careful, could cause her to lose focus-not to mention make her now obvious to herself crush on him worse. Quickly, too quickly, she stood and gave a stiff bow, “Yes, your Grace. T-thank you. We will return as quickly as possible with her in tow, and then hopefully-”

Salem's eyebrow arched, just the slightest, and it hit Coral she'd been rambling beyond what was needed. Instantly, she ceased speaking and with another quick bow turned to walk away. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Watt's bemused smirk and she barely resisted shooting him a sarcastic glower, ignoring Tyrian's giggling as Hazel fell into step beside her.

“Do be hasty. I'm very curious about what makes such a specimen tick.” said Watts with a malicious gleam in his eyes.

“Good luck, children!” the Faunus called in a sing-song tone, “Please do come back soon! We'd be ever so distraught if anything befell, hmm, such a lovely pair.”

Coral felt a cold stab of dread in her gut. Why would he say that? Had he...?

Feeling Hazel's hand on the back of her shoulder after they walked a short ways out, she started and he sighed, “Don't let them rattle you. They thrive on getting under people's skin, as I'm sure you've noticed.”

Coral nodded, grateful for his calm manner. The fact that this was the second time he'd casually rested his hand on her didn't go unnoticed to the ever-growing seed of desire inside her. This mission was going to be...interesting.

“You'll have to teach me how you manage to do so.” she said, “I have a proposal; one last spar so we're in top shape before we go?”

“Very well, but not a long one. We will need our rest,” he didn't remove his hand, and in fact she swore she saw one corner of his mouth turn up the slightest, “You'll want to ready that Semblance. I'm not going to make things easy, if your goal is to be in top shape, as you say.”

Coral smiled openly, hope for something she wasn't sure she should want mixing with the adrenaline from getting ready for a fight, “I wouldn't expect anything less.”

After their training and Coral as always helping heal them, they said their good nights and Hazel departed. Coral practically bounced on her heels despite her nerves as she packed a bag; maybe this wasn't going to be such an awful trip after all, even with their treacherous assignment. As she allowed herself to dare daydream about the possibilities, she heard a soft knock on her door. She shrugged, assuming it was him and he'd forgotten something as she went for the handle-

Her skin went cold as a pair of yellow eyes and a sickle smile greeted her. Tyrian folded his hands, “A good evening, dear Coral. Goodness I hope I'm not...” he peered about the small room, “interrupting anything. I just had one teeny, little question.”

“Hello Tyrian,” she replied steadily, hiding the dread and disgust filling her, “What can I help you with?”

“You haven't seen our largest, most stoic comrade, have you? I do need to speak with him.”

Coral felt the cold sweat prick the back of her neck. She knew this was a trap, that he likely had seen Hazel leaving. If she said no, he'd surely call her out at best, report her to Salem at worst. If she said yes, well, that opened another can of worms altogether. She clung to Hazel's words of not letting him rattle her, but right now it was near impossible. The seconds ticked by as she scrambled for the best answer, when he abruptly gasped and clapped his hands together, eyes going wide.

“Oh! Silly, silly me! That's right! I do believe I just saw him quite recently heading toward the kitchen! My, I'm ever so sorry to have disturbed you. Good night, and do sleep well. You-ah, you two, have a busy day tomorrow.”

With that he backed away, still eyeing her, before spinning on his heel and vanishing into the shadows. Coral swiftly slammed her door shut and locked it, then pushed a chair against it for good measure.

Four days later, they arrived at their destination. Wasting no time, they made contact with the Hunters Coral had previously been working with, gathering the information they had and setting out to the small town where the woman had been known to be living. To remain as inconspicuous as possible, they made the last leg of the journey on foot, a trip of several hours. After deciding it was getting late and to make their move in the morning, they set up camp among a circle of ancient, moss-speckled boulders. They got a fire going and Coral volunteered to whip up a dinner of canned goods and a few fish she had bartered from a stall in the town they'd passed through, then they got to talking strategy for the coming day. 

“...So it's settled then. We weaken her, I disable her with my bow, you grab her, we restrain and knock her out with the, um, medicine Watts gave us, we signal the ship, we load her up and head back. Done deal.” 

“That is the basic plan, yes, but we can't get overconfident,” he said, scraping the last of his meal from his plate, “...this is very good, by the way.”

Coral smiled lightly, hiding the warm glow she felt from his compliment, “I believe In our skills. And thank you. When you don't have much, you learn to make the best of things...speaking of...” she pulled a bottle of spiced whiskey from her bag she had bought ages ago, “I've been saving this for a special occasion. I'd say this qualifies.”

She tore the foil from the top and ripped the cork out with her teeth, taking a long swig, relishing the spicy-sweet burn in her throat before holding it out to him, “To our mission?”

He glanced from her to the bottle and back, curious before he took it from her hands. His fingers brushed hers and she chastised herself for the skip her heart did. He raised the bottle and took a shot, sighing as he said, “To our mission.” 

“Hey,” she suddenly said, feeling strangely elated despite the grave task ahead and taking the chance to perhaps bond with him, “Let's play a game. True or Nope? Ask a question. If you're right, they take a swig. If you're wrong, you do.”

Hazel stared at her incredulously, “What's the goal? Who wins?”

“There's no winners or losers. It's just for fun. You in?”

He studied her silently, and she was, as it went most of the time, unable to discern his thoughts. For a minute she was sure he'd decline, but he pushed himself back against the tree he was leaning on, shrugging his massive shoulders and handing the bottle back, “Alright.” 

Coral failed to fully hide her triumphant grin, “Cool. I'll go first then. So, I'm guessing you were always the tallest kid around?”

“...I'm not sure that counts as a question.” he replied dryly.

Coral shrugged in a 'you got me there' gesture before handing it to him as he said, “You used to rough yourself up to look more destitute to trick people when begging or pick-pocketing.”

She winked, taking the bottle back, “Worked every time. All those muscles are from working your ass off, right?”

Calmly, he took the bottle, sipping the whiskey with a brief, faraway look in his eyes before saying, “Yes and no. But I”ll give it to you...”

The game continued, each asking the other a myriad of questions, from the simple to the deeper. As the night went on they became more relaxed, their questions peppered with short stories explaining their answers and impersonations of the people in them. The only problem was those feelings Coral had were growing stronger by the minute, each half-smile and once even a low, rumbling chuckle from him plucking at her heartstrings in a dangerous, delicious tune. At one point he said, “You struggled with learning to control your Semblance.”

Coral took the bottle back and sighed, “It's true. I accidentally froze many things,” then tapped her chin, “You discovered yours by accident.”

Any amusement his face held melted and he looked away. Silence fell, the crackling of their fire and the night insects the only sounds. Finally, emboldened by the alcohol in her system, yet knowing she was treading on sensitive territory she said softly, “We've both lost someone, I know that much...your brother? Your mother, your-”

“My twin sister. Her name was Gretchen.”

Coral lowered the bottle, hunching her shoulders in shame “I...I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pried.”

He shook his head, “I once asked you, now you've asked me. It's not something I speak of often, but...” 

Softly, he talked of Gretchen's indomitable spirit and fierceness, growing up how they had struggled and worked and laughed and cried together, how through all the hardships they faced she had been his rock. Then his voice became more strained when he talked of her life-long goal of following in their mother's footsteps and becoming a Huntress. He had tried so hard to talk her out of it but she wouldn't listen; she had inherited both their parents stubbornness. 

Coral said nothing-what was there to say?-as he continued, “The last time I saw her was through my scroll, where she told me the Headmaster himself was joining her team on the next day's training mission...” he swallowed hard, “When I went to collect her belongings, he was there...” the clouds in his eyes twisted into burning rage, “And the only thing he had to say were empty, vague words meant to 'console' me...'she was an excellent student', 'this is a terrible tragedy', 'I'm sorry for your loss'. I asked him why he hadn't done something to stop it, but he refused to give me answers...the last thing I remember was grabbing him around his neck before waking up in a holding cell...”

He stopped, closing his eyes and letting out a long, growling exhale. Coral's breath hitched and she started to reach her hand out to him-for what? Comfort? What could she possibly do to soothe him? Her ability was useless with this kind of pain. She didn't want to do the same thing that person had done, offer empty words. She wanted to actually help, to do something. 

Suddenly she realized something and drew a sharp breath, “Your sister...was killed because of Ozpin, too?” He looked up quickly in surprise, and beyond the anger, beyond the twisted, jagged layers of guilt and and regret that had been festering in his soul for years, she saw something else; the pain of a boy who had lost his family, and the bitter heart of the man he'd grown into. Her skin prickled at the firelight dancing in his eyes, the residual, seething fury fading as he wrestled himself back to a calmer state, that gaze turning curious as he waited for her to speak.

“Like you, this isn't something I usually talk about,” she said, voice cracking “He was killed on his first mission after graduating from Haven Academy. They were just supposed to be escorting some merchants...but the Grimm...there were so many...” she squeezed her eyes shut, her hand going to the crystal and metal pendant around her neck, “There was hardly anything left...we had to identify him by-by...this...I...”

Hazel sighed heavily, “It seems-”

Unable to stop herself, the memories sharpened by her mildly intoxicated state, Coral suddenly whirled and punched a stone behind her, “If I ever get to face that bastard, I will kill him!!...That's why I'm really here, why I'm doing this, to get to him the only way I have left...” she glanced his way, “I did some digging. He was the one who wanted the Dust and other items they were carrying moved from Mistral to port so they could be shipped to Atlas. There also had been a recent spike in Grimm activity along their route, and he failed, either intentionally or by incompetence, to check this...” 

Hazel was silent as she came down, breath still ragged. He scooted closer, reached out and rested his hand on her arm. Gratefully, she gingerly placed her hand over his. 

Calmly, though she could hear the anger roiling under the surface, he said, “I see we have yet another thing in common. Not only have we lost someone, it was also due to the same person's deliberate ignorance. He must be stopped.” 

Looking back at him, and before she could second-guess herself, she turned to face him and took his large hand in both of hers, her eyes watering involuntarily as she stared intently into his, “I couldn't agree more. So let's make sure we get this mission done. For Gretchen. For Jett, For all the others who've been lost. Let's live for them. Let's make their memories mean something.”

His puzzled expression made her think that perhaps she had gone too far, but then he nodded and much to her shock, pulled her closer to him, her face resting against his shoulder. Oh gods; if her desire wasn't already heightened now it positively sang. He spoke, and she felt the rumble in his chest, mixing with his heartbeat, the crackling fire, and the night insects, weaving an intoxicating spell.

“What we're doing is...complicated. There's hard choices to make, and only we know what's right for ourselves. In the end, despite the evils we must commit, I truly believe it's for the greater good,” she barely heard his low murmur that followed, “I have to...” 

She clung to him, breathing deep his earthy, musky, spicy scent and she was certain she could stay here forever, “Hazel...?”

They pulled away, and her attention momentarily flicked to his lips, then back to his eyes. Oh by the brothers; she was in deep. Did she dare? Was the same thought crossing his mind? She still longed to bring him some sort of comfort and words were meaningless...could this action be what he, they both, needed? Just as she was gathering the courage to move in-he glanced down at her hand, holding it his palm with a sigh, ”This should be cleaned up.”

This snapped her back to reality and she blinked, hoping he didn't notice her flushed face, looking down at her bleeding torn-up knuckles and hissed in a breath as the pain started to set in, “I uh...yeah you're right...”

The next morning, the sun had just started to seep over the horizon, painting the world in shades of pink and pale gold, tendrils of fog still clinging to the trees as the glowing coals of their campfire slowly died. Hazel awoke first. He studied his partner for a minute, remembering the night before and the things they had shared. Her silky, orange-pink hair framed her face, still calm and lost in some far-away dreams. Her hand stuck out from her blanket, the bandages wrapped neatly around her wound. Why did he feel so comfortable around her? Why had he hugged her at all, especially as long as he had? Why did he, for the first time in ages, actually feel something? 

He frowned, not enjoying the complex unfamiliarity of these thoughts. He liked things simple. It was easier. What was this? This strange, burning, yet not entirely unpleasant emotion in him? He sighed, deciding with the mission ahead it unwise to dwell on it too much and cleared his throat, “Coral? It's time.”


	3. Interwoven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Fall Maiden is found, the battle ensues..but at what cost...or gain?

Olive thanked the tavern employee on her way out and paused outside the door, studying the cloud-speckled sky, feeling the warm sun and watching with amusement as a group of small songbirds dipped and fluttered about, chasing each other. It was such a pleasant afternoon. Perhaps after her tutoring job, she would head to her favorite meadow; it was the time the wild blackberries would be ripening. 

She walked to the edge of town on her way to her student's home-when a young woman suddenly appeared, stumbling up to her with torn clothes and a desperate expression, her hands clutching her swollen middle. 

“P-please!” she cried with a desperate, near hysterical voice, “My husband! We were attacked!”

Minutes later, Olive hobbled quickly alongside the woman as they excited town and made their way to the woods a ways away. Near the banks of a lake, a man lay still on the ground and the woman started sobbing. Olive went to him, cautious in her approach. Despite everything about this scene seeming real, something felt off in her gut.

“Excuse me...sir?” she asked.

In that same instant, she felt an ice-cold point in her neck and she glared as the man rolled over and got to his feet. Even as he towered over her she stared him down fearlessly. Her head turning just a fraction, she saw the woman with an arrow trained to the back of her skull. The blanket she had had stuffed under her clothes was on the ground. 

Olive smiled bitterly, her eyes flaring with rings of red and amber light, “Well. I suppose it was only a matter of time. You want to dance? Let's dance.”

-Coral's vision swam as she was thrown against a tree for the what? Fifth time? She had lost track. Shaking her head, she leaped back up, seeing Hazel locked in close combat with their target. Olive, the Fall Maiden, though being a small, frail older woman, was more powerful than they had imagined. Despite it being two against one, she was keeping them both at bay, on occasion seeming almost bored as they barraged her with attacks.

The two locked eyes, both sharing the same thought; they had to try a new strategy or they'd surely lose. Coral dashed to one side, Hazel to the other, circling around Olive to split her concentration. Coral darted to the water, intending to use it to her advantage as she saw Hazel fling his coat off and grab something from the pouches strapped to his legs. Reaching the lake, trying to hit Olive with a few more arrows to keep her distracted and dodging another attack, she glanced toward Hazel-just as he jammed what she realized were two large shards of Dust deep into the flesh of his arms. 

The sight shocked her so much she nearly took a hit from the Maiden; what in the world was he doing?! He curled in on himself, shuddering before standing up again with a snarl, eyes glowing an eerie yellow-gold, pulses of electric current dancing up and down his arms as they followed his veins. 

Olive whirled toward him, eyes widening-but before she could react further, Hazel charged with surprising speed and body-slammed her so hard when she hit the boulder behind her, it cracked. She barely had time to pull herself up before he was on her again, throwing punch after punch with such force and speed she could hardly keep up. Coral stared, arrow ready but found herself shaking. What was this? What had he done? He was a terrifying monster as he kept up his relentless assault, and in that moment she had the answer to two questions; this was where all those scars came from, and what he could do when he wasn't holding back.

Snapping back to her senses, she used her Semblance to coat the arrow-tip with ice and took aim, letting it fly. It struck true, Olive howling with pain as it struck her hip, the ice spreading to disable her leg. Hazel took this moment to grab her, holding her tight against himself as he shouted to Coral, “Hurry!”

She hesitated. She was supposed to knock the Maiden unconscious, but this new power of his was terrifying, and she found herself rooted to the spot, momentarily too confused and frightened to approach him. His voice was distorted, far too rough and ragged and his overall presence radiated an almost animalistic savagery, but after a moment she found her courage and rushed in, ready to strike-

Olive let loose with a scream, a wave of power knocking them both away. Before they could recover, she swept out her arm, hitting Hazel with such a blast he was flung away-straight into the lake where he landed with a terrific splash. 

Coral whipped her head toward him, then back, wrestling with her internal struggle...the Maiden was weakened. That attack had temporarily drained her, and the woman was kneeling as she tried to recover, though it was clear as a crackling aura burned around her she was far from defeated. Maybe, just maybe, she had a chance of subduing her. On the other hand..she glanced toward the ripples and bubbles where Hazel had fallen. He should have surfaced by now-what if-?

Her mind's eye went back to all the moment's they'd had. Him helping her combat skills. Their conversations. Her seeing past what others could. Just last night; their understanding and how much they had in common, his solid warmth as he held her...how his deep eyes burned into hers and that cautious yet genuine smile...

In that moment her mind was made up; she dashed to the water and dove in. She saw him quickly; thank goodness he hadn't fallen far. He was clearly unconscious, limbs floating aimlessly. Coral grabbed his arm and aimed herself toward the surface, pulling hard-but she found them both sinking further. Fighting off the panic, she kicked and pulled harder, but to no avail. Her lungs burning, her brain scrambled for a solution-when an idea hit her. Moving her free hand under him, she activated her Semblance, turning the water beneath him to ice. She kept this up until a large chuck had formed and she could feel him starting to float upwards. Encouraged and desperate, she pushed the small iceberg upwards toward the sparkling surface until they broke it. She gasped for air, struggling to tow both of them to the shore, whereupon reaching it she hauled him from the water as much as possible and collapsed on the muddy ground beside him. 

“H-Hazel..?” she croaked, propping his head in her lap-just in time to use her power again, sweeping the water upward to shield them from an energy blast from Olive. The ice wall exploded, revealing their furious adversary. 

The Maiden approached, energy orbs floating above both hands, “You two put up a good fight. If you weren't trying to capture me, I might be impressed...”

Coral trembled, both from nearly drowning and from having to make another life-or-death decision. If she kept on trying to fight, she'd surely be killed. The both of them had struggled and failed against her-facing her alone was suicide. Goosebumps rippled across her skin; if she gave up, she knew the consequences they'd both face. Still, she reasoned..fight, and surely die. Flee, and maybe have a chance. 

She glanced at Hazel, his breathing shallow and labored, punctured with an occasional wheezing cough. He bleed profusely from the wounds in his arms and the one on his side where Olive's blast had hit, and most certainly had water in his lungs. Without help, and soon, she didn't know if he'd make it. A memory flashed through her mind; Jett ruffling her hair, just a few weeks before he died. He smiled and said, _“Sometimes Sticks, you'll find yourself in a tight spot and I won't be there. In those moments, trust your gut.”_

Tears blurred her eyes. Even from another plane, he was helping her, and she remembered her vow from the night before...they could honor the dead by living...

“WAIT!” she cried out. Throwing her arms up, she pleaded, “We surrender...you win...”

Olive paused, her face twisting in anger, “After all that? After you tricked me, tried to harm and even take me captive? You really think I'm just gong to forgive that? How do I know you're not trying to trick me again?!” She launched an energy blast at Hazel-

Coral twisted her body to shield him, taking the full force of it. She howled in pain as her skin burned and slumped over him. Olive stopped, watching as Coral pulled herself back around to face her, tears running down her mud-streaked face, “We were ordered to! We had no choice...we're done...you win. Please, let us go...we won't harm you again.”

Scoffing, Olive formed another energy orb and took aim. Coral again put herself in between her and Hazel, covering him as much as she could and glaring her down, out of energy herself and Aura starting to run low. 'I'm sorry Jett...I'm so sorry...' She shut her eyes...

She felt the heat of her attack-as it whizzed past them and hit the ground. Snapping her eyes open, Coral stared in open confusion at Olive, who sighed and said, “I don't know what your stories are. Frankly I don't care. But if you're going to face me unarmed and use your own body as a shield to protect your friend...I have to admire that...I'd do the same for my granddaughter...” she pointed vaguely into the distance, “Now get out of here. I'm giving you one chance. If I catch you in this area again, I will kill you.” 

Not willing to question this, Coral mumbled her thanks as Olive turned and stalked away. After making certain she was indeed leaving, she focused her attention on her gravely wounded partner...

The stars twinkled in a blue-black sky, small embers from the fire rising as if to meet them. Coral sat listlessly, poking at that fire with a stick and stealing frequent glances at Hazel. She had managed to drag him a little further away from the water, in part with the help of her Semblance and a make-shift ice 'track', whereupon she set to work cleaning and fixing him up. With her first aid and his Aura going to work, he was already almost fully healed. He now rested in front of a large stone, his coat draped over him, still asleep but occasionally shifting or muttering some unintelligible thing. 

She studied him as she went over and over in her head what she would say when he awoke. None of it sounded or felt adequate. Suddenly he groaned loudly and rolled to his side, then slowly pulled himself to sit upright. Rubbing his face, he looked her way, “What happened?”

All the fancy speeches and explanations she had been spinning left her as they locked eyes, and all she could manage to croak out was, “We lost...”

“I concluded that much. I mean, what happened?” 

“You were hit with an energy blast and thrown into the water. The Maiden was weakened from our fight, and I dove in after you. I pulled you out, had to convince her not to kill us, and...here we are.”

He gaped at her, then his eyes narrowed, “She was weakened, and you didn't finish our task?”

She had to fight the urge to recoil at the fierceness of his gaze, “Had I done that, you would have died.”

“That _doesn't_ -we had a very important mission. That's what matters.”

Coral's breath hitched, and she felt the tears forming, despite her best efforts. Did he care so little for his own life? Had vengeance consumed him so? Then her thoughts snapped back to their failed assignment; why had they done so poorly? Of course they lost because Olive had been far more powerful than they'd realized, and one miscalculation had nearly cost them their lives. Of course she wasn't going to leave him to a watery grave. But the one thing that kept spinning in her mind, the one she ended up responding with was, “I had to.”

He let out a long-held breath that came out as almost a growl, “Explain.”

She stood and paced like a caged animal, “She was weakened yes, but still strong. Strong enough that even had I abandoned you, she surely would have killed me. So I had to make a choice; try to finish the job and most likely lose, and we both die, or save you and perhaps at least one of us would live on to try again. I chose the latter.”

He picked up his coat to put it on, noting the neatly wrapped bandages around his arms and torso, shaking his head slightly and giving a more weary sigh, “Then I suppose...you did what you must.”

“But...” she stopped, hanging her head, “Everything we said last night, about succeeding in this mission. We vowed to see it through, to honor our siblings, to avenge them. And now...”

She trailed off, fists clenched and face burning from shame and frustration. Groaning lightly, he shifted himself to sit up a little more, “We'll find a way to live for them. ...That was something else you said, I believe,” looking down at his bandages, his face softening and voice quiet, he added, “On that note, I...do thank you for this...”

Swallowing those tears still threatening to start, she composed herself and went over, kneeling beside him, “On that note, I should take a look at these to see if they need changing yet.”

He lifted the arm nearest her so she could see easier, especially in the low light. Carefully undoing the long strips of gauze, she suppressed a shudder at the raw, ragged gashes in his skin where the Dust pieces had been. She wanted to ask him about it, about how he was able to do that and how he had learned...but now wasn't the time. 

Instead, she sighed and going back to her bag, took two fresh rolls of gauze and a jar of antiseptic ointment in one hand and in the other lifted a small pot of very hot water from near the fire. 

“This is gonna hurt. The last time I did this you were unconscious.” she said apologetically. 

“Don't worry; it won't.” 

“Ah..yes. Of course...”

They fell silent as she went to work, cleaning the wounds on his arms with the scalding water then dabbing them dry before applying the ointment and clean gauze. She glanced at the bandages wrapped around his abdomen and cleared her throat, “I need to check those too. Could you lift your shirt a little more please?”

Casually, he did, and she was certain she was unable to stop the redness that painted her cheeks. It wasn't like she hadn't seen this already the first time she'd cleaned him up, but still, she couldn't stop herself from admiring him; his muscles looked as if they were carved from stone under his warm, deeply tanned skin, a thick trail of hair starting far above his naval and vanishing into the waistband of his pants. A couple scars she could just see the edges of were visible on his ribs and abs. Still, she attempted to remain composed as she repeated the process. Flicking her eyes up, she accidentally met his-

And something deep in her bones, her very soul, snapped when she saw the trust, the grief, the depth in those green-gold pools. She felt that connection again, so strong it nearly stole her breath, that thread weaving them together, and prayed he did too. 

“Hazel..?”

“Yes?”

She lowered her eyes, “Do you know why I chose what I did? Do you know what I feared far more than facing the Maiden alone, more than Salem's wrath, maybe even more than my own death..?”

Her gaze met his again, cheeks burning but devoid of any lingering doubt, “I feared losing you.”

His eyebrows lifted, analyzing her words as she finished her task and sat up to look at him expectantly. Shaking, she moved closer, her body inches from his, resting her hands on his jaw as he lifted one to settle in her hair. Leaning forward she let her forehead touch his, their faces so close she could feel his breath. She could again smell that earthy, spicy scent from him, casting an irresistible spell on her senses. 

“I can't help...” she whispered, before gathering her courage and closing the gap between them, letting their lips just scarcely touch, veins alight with electricity before kissing him fully, the unspoken tensions that had been gradually building between them coming to a head. Certain she had overstepped, she half-expected him to push her away-but was pleasantly startled when he did not, even pulling her closer to him, the softest groan rumbling in his throat. She shuddered, drunk with desire and emboldened, pulled him even more into her, throwing her leg over his waist, straddling him as their kisses deepened, her hands tangled in his thick hair. Surrendering himself to this, aching, needing more, his own trailed down her back to settle on her waist, clutching her tightly against him. They continued like this, the crackling fire and night gently singing around them as they explored each other, hesitant kisses and touches giving way to more bold ones and back, playing a strange, delicious game nether knew the outcome of. Finally, breath ragged, Hazel pulled back.

“We...have to focus...on our next move...”

Coral froze, the spell broken, the burning heat pooled in her belly turning cold. As much as a part of her wanted to think he meant something different, something much more primal, she knew him well enough to decipher his meaning. 

“R-right...” she stuttered, untangling herself from him and shuffling just far enough away to make things less awkward, “So...our rendezvous is in the morning about a mile from here. Right.”

He cleared his throat, looking away and she could swear his face was a shade of red as well, “Yes. We're missing our...cargo, but that changes nothing.”

“Nothing except the hell we're in for...” she chuckled bitterly. 

He sighed, “Don't worry. I'll handle things. I've known her far longer than you.”

Coral covered his hand with hers, brows down-turned, “I...if anything happened to you...”

“It won't.” he said with such conviction she almost believed him. Their eyes met, and she prayed he couldn't read the desperation for him she felt; she had already made the feelings she had rebelled against for so long quite plain. They sat like this for a moment, both unsure of how to handle this new development or proceed. Ultimately going for the practical, pulling his hand back he added, “We should try and get some sleep.”

“Yes. Good idea...” she stood, hiding the fresh tears and went to her own side of their camp, crawling into her sleeping bag, “If you start feeling a lot of pain, or dizzy, or off at all, let me know, even if you must wake me.”

“I will...” he lay down, rolling one blanket to use a pillow and pulling another over himself, “...Goodnight, Coral.”

“Goodnight Hazel...”

Silence fell as they tried to settle in and rest, both knowing sleep would not come easily. She silently studied him across the fire, the light flickering across his features, flashing embers dancing skyward. What had just happened? Though it seemed obvious, she still had questions she didn't feel should yet be asked. With everything else she knew they'd have to contend with in the coming days, she did her best to shove the last half hour or so to the back of her thoughts and closed her eyes, silently mouthing the words she feared still to say aloud.

Some time passed, and unable to sleep, Hazel opened his eyes to stare into the dark as he often did. The minutes passed before a rustling caught his ears and he glanced to see nothing more than Coral turning over on her side, sighing before settling once more. He continued to watch her, his mind going over recent events. He couldn't deny enjoying what they'd shared, even feeling a long-dormant piece of himself flaring back to life. However...what was best for them, for her...? 

Several days later, they arrived back at Salem's fortress and stood at the bottom of the main staircase. Shooting a glance at each other, sharing the same sense of looming dread, they made up their way up in unison. At the top, to their joint dismay, Watts and Tyrian stood waiting.

Watts took a step forward, hands spread, “Ah, the triumphant heroes have returned. Now, where is she? I'm to take her to my lab to get her...settled.”

Neither of them spoke at first, and picking up on their unease, Tyrian feigned a gasp, “Why so glum? I mean, surely you succeeded, right? So where is our new friend hmm?”

“Things didn't go according to plan, I'm afraid.” said Hazel as he started to walk past them, “Now if you'll excuse us...”

Watts stepped into his path, “You mean to tell us you failed?”

“The Maiden was far more powerful than we all realized. It was-” Coral began, but Watts turned on her.

“You fool! That girl was the key to the next phase of our plan! And you two lost her! Make all the excuses you want, Salem won't take any of them.”

Coral maintained her stony composure even as Watts was yelling at her. Oh, she knew. Her heart raced and she could feel the sweat starting to bead on her neck. The entire way back, only two thoughts had occupied her waking moments, and much of her dreams; what they were going to say when they inevitably had to face Salem, and how to address what had happened between her and Hazel...if she lived to get that chance.

Tyrian's mocking giggles grew louder. The scorpion Faunus leaned forward, hands on his knees as his back shuddered from his laughter before he flipped himself upwards, clapping his hands and nearly dancing.

Hazel had already stepped around Watts after muttering to Coral to ignore them and follow him, but in his desire to torment them more Tyrian slunk into their path, walking backwards while they continued toward the door, still chuckling, “Tell me, do you really think our lovely queen will stand for this? After all the time spent trying to find the girl? After the trust she put in you?”

Coral kept her mouth shut, but Hazel grumbled, “Enough. Out of our way, please.”

“Such a noble sense of duty! You've been with us for a long time my dear Hazel, I can see you being spared perhaps, but do you really believe your poor little girlfriend will be-”

Lunging his arm forward, he lifted Tyrian by the shirt, deftly moving him a couple feet to the side before gently but firmly setting him on his feet, “I said enough.”

Tyrian's eyes were wide and wavering, Watts stared incredulously, still grumbling about their failure, and without another word, Coral and Hazel strode into the castle.


	4. Repairs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Failure is not something that's easily tolerated within Salem's midnight eyes, a fact Coral has been aware of yet not had the distinct displeasure of knowing until now. Taking the brunt of her wrath, Coral loses some things but in an unexpected way, gains other, much more pleasant ones...but are they feasible?

They stood outside the door to Salem's main audience and meeting chamber, the thick, ominous silence threatening to suffocate them. They knew she was waiting. They also had a dreadful suspicion she already knew.

“Let me do the talking like we discussed.” Hazel muttered, keeping his face calm even as Coral saw the fear there, and with reluctance pushed the doors open. They creaked with a blood-chilling screech, as if heralding what they were walking in to. Entering, they saw her standing near a window toward the far end of the room, her back to them. A gentle flick of her hand and the doors shut behind them. Now they were truly trapped in the spider's web. They knelt, awaiting. 

Salem took her time, letting the tension fester long enough to make them wonder, to make them _fear_ ; a reminder of her power. At length she turned, her ink-black and red eyes fixing on them, “Well?”

One word. One simple word that bore a tremendous amount of foreboding weight, that told them all they needed to know. Had they succeeded she would have begun with praise or what their next move would be. Coral kept her head downward but her gaze flitted sideways to her partner. His face was drawn, tense, his eyes flicking rapidly over the ground as he carefully considered his words.

Slowly, Hazel stood, arms stiffly at his sides and daring to meet her gaze, “I'm certain you're aware that things didn't go as planned.”

“I am.” replied Salem with strange calmness. 

“While we did succeed in learning the Maiden's identity and location, securing her was...a different matter.”

“I can see this. Tell me, Hazel...” she approached them, heels clicking far too loud in the cavernous space, “Why is it, exactly, do you think you failed?”

Coral's heart rate had already been elevated, but now she felt it kick up a notch. Salem was surely toying with him. She couldn't just cower here in silence and leave him to whatever fate she was concocting. This whole mess was just as much, if not solely, her fault after all.

'You saved me from a monster once...now I hope I can do the same for you.' she thought.

Standing quickly, she spoke up, “Your Grace...I would like to take the responsibility for what happened.”

Salem turned to her and blinked in mock surprise. In the next few moments of silence, Coral met those eerie eyes with as much confidence as she could muster, and ignored Hazel's subtle yet clear look that said 'what are you doing?!'

“Interesting. Would you care to explain?” Salem asked, folding her hands in front of herself.

“Though I did thorough research on the history of the maidens and collected extensive intel from my contacts...I neglected to construct a more concrete and better backup plan before we went in. Hazel fought his hardest, nearly losing his life. He shouldn't be blamed for my mistake...” 

“Ma'am, I can-” he began, but she raised a hand to quiet him, and he stopped, glancing uncertainly between them.

Salem stepped forward and touched Coral's chin, lifting it just a bit with snow-white fingers. Though Coral was vaguely taller than the witch, right now she felt terrifyingly small. A faint smile on her face, Salem nodded, “I thank you for your honesty, Coral. I admire such qualities in my circle,” looking up at Hazel she continued, “You may leave. I need to discuss some matters with her.”

He hesitated. Salem tilted her head the slightest degree and in a tone that did not invite any further questioning said, “Go on.”

His gaze caught Coral's. She starred back dully, but managed a smile that said 'It's okay'. He swallowed hard, clenching his fists and with a bow, turned and left. As he passed through the doors, he glanced over his shoulder one last time, to see Coral still smiling bravely back at him. The doors slammed in his face, separating them and he stood helplessly, stomach churning with exasperation and despair. One word kept chanting in his head; why...? Why had she done that, after they had talked about it, after surely knowing what lay in store? Unsure what else to do, he wandered a short ways off as he awaited her exit...if she did at all. Leaning against a window, he stared blankly out over the charred landscape, hating the ache in his chest he hadn't felt in so long he wasn't even sure he could still name it...

Meanwhile, Salem had removed her hand and walked away. Coral's heart pounded, she felt herself trembling, and yet...she felt a strange sense of peace, of acceptance. If she was going to die, she had at least saved him. That singular thought brought her comfort as Salem turned back to her.

“Let me ask you something. Do you know what an animal does when it knows it's being hunted?”

“It hides..?”

“Very good. Now tell me...” her voice changed, from the softer, calmer tone it had held to the darker, angrier tone she had only heard a couple times, the one that turned her blood to ice, “What do you think a Maiden, a human with intelligence, will do when she's being hunted?” 

Thrusting her hand out, Salem flicked her fingers upward, and before Coral could react, a burning red circle formed around her and numerous black, clawed hands erupted from it, snatching at her limbs and body. She started to scream out of shock, but one shot out and slapped itself over her mouth, silencing her. They tore her to the ground so swiftly her knees and elbows slammed off the stone floor, her cries muffled by the disembodied hand on her face. Now, pinned on the ground and shaking from terror and pain, Coral raised her eyes to see Salem looming over her.

“She will run, then hide, and hide well. By alerting her to the fact someone was pursuing her, she knows her current location isn't safe. So she'll disappear. It could take weeks, months, even years to find her again. She may even pass on her powers, forcing us to start over again. By not capturing her the first time, you've set us back by who knows how long. I hope you realize how...upsetting that is, for everyone.”

The hands dug harder into her, some breaking the skin and Coral tried to scream but of course failed.

Salem continued, circling the helpless archer, “I know you have your goals, and so do I. So does Hazel, as does Arthur, Tyrian, and now Cinder. Are you aware you may have ruined things for all of us?” she stopped and leaned in closer, placing an icy hand on Coral's shoulder, “I'm not sure you fully appreciate the gravity of your mistake.”

The razor-sharp claws dug deeper into her flesh, and she howled soundlessly.

An unnerving smile in it's gentleness graced Salem's face, “Oh, but you will...”

What felt like hours later, Coral stumbled from the room and leaned against the wall, trying to get her bearings so she could hobble back to her room. Her senses were dulled from pain and exhaustion, but feeling she had chosen the right direction, she set off. Keeping close to the wall for balance, she left the occasional smear of blood on it with her hands. Losing that balance, she tumbled forward-and suddenly felt herself rising into the air, cradled against something warm and firm. Looking up, she saw Hazel, his eyes wide with shock and concern...and suddenly, she had the answer to another question; this was what it felt like to be lifted in his arms.

Smiling weakly, she tried to reach a shaking hand up to his face, then everything went black...

Darkness slowly dissipated, replaced by the soft light of a couple lamps and candles as Coral's eyes opened. Her entire body ached, faint memories coming back whether she liked it or not, but what caught her attention most was where she was-or more accurately, where she didn't recognize she was. Soft sheets covered her, and as she turned her head, she realized she was in an unfamiliar and very large bed. Sitting up, she took several moments to look around and get her bearings. She was in what appeared to be someone's room, and like the bed, the rest of the furniture was large and sturdy-looking. Her tunic and cloak were carefully draped over a desk chair. Looking down to examine herself, she started upon seeing she was in only her tank top and short pants, as well as how her arms and legs were neatly wrapped in gauze. 

The doorknob rattled, and she sat herself up further as the door swung open, Hazel stepping inside. He glanced toward the bed and his expression morphed from surprise to...Coral felt her body tense as his face hardened unexpectedly. Wordlessly he removed his coat, laying it over an armchair and vanished into an adjacent room. She sat there, confused anew. He hadn't looked at her like that since...had he ever, really? Maybe when she first arrived, but even then it had been more curious than what seemed to be animosity now. She clutched the sheets, unsure what to do as she heard water running and realized he must have gone into an adjoining bathroom-wait.

The fog clearing fully from her head it hit her where she must be. The scaled up furniture. How casually he'd entered. This was his room. This was his bed. 

She willed herself to clear any and all racing, inappropriate thoughts as he reappeared with a bowl of steaming water and several other first-aid items. He sat on the edge of the bed near her, setting the items on the nightstand then turning to her.

“Hazel, I want to...” she started, but trailed off when she again saw his downright cold expression. Still, he gestured to her arms, and realizing what he wanted, she held them out closer to him as he began to undo the wrappings. She failed to conceal her gasp upon seeing her bare arms-they were laced with a network of cuts, some shallow, others quite deep. The sight brought on more details and she momentarily squeezed her eyes shut before wrestling herself back to the present moment.

Not a word passed between them as he worked, instead using slight gestures to indicate what he needed, yet Coral understood every movement and sound he made. Once her limbs had been cleaned and re-wrapped, he turned his back to her.

The silence stretched, thick and cold, Coral having the instinct to realize it was best to stay quiet and let him make the first move. She could practically feel the low, buzzing energy of his ire coming off him. At last he turned and stared her down, his voice a low growl.

“Why?” 

She needn't ask what he meant by that, “Because I had to. Let's face it, in reality, in her eyes, it was my fault. Had I not admitted it she would have flayed us both.”

He stood, stalking a few steps away, “This mission was assigned to the both of us. Who's fault it is doesn't matter. We both shared responsibility, yet you went against what we talked about and took it upon yourself to change that.”

Now, she felt her own anger beginning to rise. Was he actually upset with her for what she'd done? Had she not spared him the pain, the torment, the loss of trust? 

“What? Did you want to go through that?!” throwing off the sheet, she got to her feet and moved to stand in front of him, but he turned himself away from her again, ”I don't expect a thank you, but you could at least not act like I did something wrong!”

This rapid-fire debate was spoken in loud-as-they-dared whispers, “Have you no sense of self preservation?”

“That's rich coming from someone who shoves raw Dust crystals into his body!”

“That's something I can control! You cannot control what Salem will do.”

“Why are you acting like-” Coral turned in a circle, rubbing her temples, “Seriously, why are you so angry?!”

Whirling to face her, he snapped, _“If something happened to you I-”_ He stopped, cutting himself off and crossing his arms. Something in the furrow of his brow, a flash of fear in his eyes, and it occurred to her what this might be...was he..?

Coral was beginning to feel her spite-fueled stamina faltering, “You really think I was just going to stand there and let her torture you?!”

“You are aware I could have handled the pain. Why would you put yourself in that position?”

Coral looked away briefly, the fierceness of his gaze too much, “...Just because you can doesn't mean you should have to...”

They were both quiet after that, looking in different directions, anywhere but at each other. Finally, Hazel gave a long sigh.

“Just...tell me, please...after everything, after knowing what you would be facing, why?”

Coral felt her breath hitch. Should she admit what was screaming in her head, or should she skate around it, say the much safer alternative? Her body so tense she felt like she could shatter, failing to hide how she trembled, she drew a breath and turned to meet his gaze.

“Because I like to think of us as friends, as partners. Because I care about you, you strong, wise, heartbroken man. You've been through enough. Because if something happened to _you_...I...” she faltered, hands clenched at her sides and feeling utterly foolish, “Because...I-” wiping a hand across her face she finally lost her composure, the tears flowing freely, “Are you really going to make it say it aloud?!”

She stared into his eyes, silently trying to convey what her lips still refused to, watching his reaction morph from confusion, to contemplation, then comprehension. Seeing he at last understood, she felt a duel sense of dread and relief; relief he realized, dread at what his response would be. She wasn't even sure what she hoping for, but seeing how his face had softened, even betraying hints of longing, she found a shining thread of courage and stepped closer, reaching up and laying one hand gently against his cheek.

“How long has it been since you've known genuine affection...?” she wondered softly. 

His only answer was a weary sigh, and in that forlorn sound she had her answer. Letting his eyes fall shut, he covered her hand with his before opening them again- and she felt a new shudder creep up her spine. Those name-sake eyes held a note of desire she'd never before seen. Reaching up with both hands, she pulled him closer, close enough to feel his breath against her face, just like that night in the forest what now seemed like ages ago.

“Coral...” he murmured, and goosebumps flared across her body at the shudder, the ache in his deep voice. Her thoughts drifted again to things she didn't know if she dared to.

“I...need you..” she whispered, feeling she could burst into flame.

Tilting her head, she pressed her lips to his, his hands rising to her waist, tenderly yet firmly clutching her against him. Emboldened, her let her tongue slip past her lips to run along his, noting how he stiffened, and further encouraged, she deepened their kiss, even biting down lightly on his lower lip. She felt his fingers dig into her back as a soft groan rose in his chest and turned, guiding them both back towards the bed.

She broke their embrace only to shove him to sit and somehow she was able, or he let her, his weight making the mattress creak before crawling onto him again, straddling his lap as he pushed himself back to rest against the headboard. He ran his hands down her neck, her back, but when he moved to her arms-

She gasped with pain as his touch found her still fresh wounds, and the spell they'd been under broke. Breath still heavy, he instantly pulled back as she clutched her arms and winced. He stiffened, chastising himself internally-you fool what were you thinking?!-as they disentangled themselves, Coral turning to him, but he spoke up first.

“I am so sorry. You're hurt and I-”

She stopped him by pressing her lips to his softly then saying with a sad, sympathetic smile as she carefully wrapped herself around him, “Don't. It's...fine. I should have realized too.”

With a hesitant gingerness, he returned her embrace and they sat in silence for a time, both wrestling with the realization their relationship had taken a turn neither had foreseen but could no longer be shoved aside...or fulfilled, at least until she had healed and when, or if, the moment presented itself again.

Trying not to let her voice crack, Coral said at length, “I should...head back to my room. Thank you for tending my wounds. I suppose we're now even in that regard,” looking up at him she added, “If there's one thing I've learned from all this, it's that I am not as adept at combat as I thought. When this heals will you continue training with me?”

Unsure if she was changing the subject so abruptly for her benefit or his, he went along with it and replied, “Of course.”

Painfully, and not from her injuries, Coral pulled back from him and stood, putting her tunic and cloak back on as he moved to the door to see her out. Standing confidently now in front of his huge frame, recalling with bemusement the times this had made her nervous, she reached up to rest one hand over his heart. His came up to cover it completely, and he leaned down as she stretched up on her toes, their lips meeting in the softest kiss as they murmured good night's and she slipped out like a shadow. Upon reaching her room she rested her back against her door and covered her face with her hands as she tried to calm the churning storm of emotions inside...


	5. Harmony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Once a fire has been lit, it can sometimes be impossible to calm until it's been satisfied...

-The flat side of Coral's blade struck his leg hard enough for him to lose his footing momentarily and she slid past, spinning and readying another attack. He dodged it and gave a swift kick, connecting with her hip and sending her flying, but she flipped and recovered instantly, landing with a cat's grace before dashing in to try again. Two weeks had come and gone but this was the first time they'd had a chance to spar. Their other encounters had been brief and awkward, neither knowing how to, or if it was possible, to navigate this new territory. Her wounds had healed quickly, yet now a network of raised scars crisscrossed the skin of her arms and legs like stripes. She had taken to wearing long gloves and leggings to cover them, being tired of the memories they brought up and Watt's snide remarks on how she could almost pass for a Faunus.

Darting close enough to land another strike, he brought his arm around too swiftly for her to avoid and swept her up by the shirt-front, whirling and effortlessly pinning her to the wall with his body. She grasped his wrist with one hand, using the other to try and push against his shoulder to free herself to no avail; he was as solid and unyielding as a mountain. She cursed and kicked uselessly, hating his flat, 'are-you-done-yet?' expression.

“Do you yield?” he inquired.

“Yes! By the brothers yes! Now put me down I can't...I...”

Their eyes locked, the tunnel vision of combat fading as they became suddenly and acutely aware of how tightly they were pressed together, both breathing heavily, the scent of sweat and adrenaline thick in the air. Now their hearts shifted from hammering from fighting to an entirely different reason.

Oh, there it was again; that electricity, that desire, sharp and dangerous as the blades Coral wielded yet drawing them both irresistibly in. Their faces were so close she could see the golden green flecks in his deep eyes and feel his breath, hot and ragged and her insides coiled. He could feel every curve of her body pressed into him, her eyes dancing with that defiant fire that turned him on more than he would ever admit. Abruptly he loosened his grip enough for her to slide to the ground and let go, turning away. She was about to speak when he beat her to it.

“If still you wish...I...” he coughed, voice lowering to a rumbling whisper, “Meet with me later.”

With that he strode away, leaving her standing there with a racing heart and mind.

-The ever-present, bone-cold light of the moon splayed it's silver fingers across the stone floors as it peered through the windows, breaking up the deep pockets of shadow in between as Coral stood before his room, having crept here in silence and making absolutely certain she hadn't been followed. 

She had no illusions or doubts about being here, what his invitation had meant...and after everything, she was more than ready. Her hand raised to discreetly tap on the heavy wooden door, yet as if he could already sense her presence-perhaps he could; she was certain her Aura was lit up like a flame-the door opened and he gazed down at her momentarily, his form framed by that same moonlight before stepping aside to allow her in. No sooner was she inside and the door shut before her back was against it, his hands on her hips and mouth hovering over hers, so close, aching, yet still giving her the chance to leave, the unspoken question in his lust-darkened yet still carefully controlled eyes; 'is this what you want?'. She stretched up and threaded her hands in his hair, pulling him to her and closing that gap, certain she had never needed something so much as this, wanting him to let go of that control and answering with a deep, longing kiss; 'yes...I want you...'

Their mouths and bodies intertwined, he hoisted her by the thighs with ease and she threw her legs around his waist as he stumbled to his bed where he sat heavily and she moved to straddle him. He trailed his fingers down her body, leaving fire in their wake as she pressed herself against him, finally breaking away long enough to tug her shirt and bra over her head and toss them aside, shy yet confident as she bared herself to him. His breath hitched, face burning and gaze flicking over her reverently, vaguely noting the scars on her lower abdomen but before it could fully register, he saw for the first time the ones on her arms.

Lifting one of them, he glanced at her marred skin before meeting her eyes; she stared back silently, a complex torrent of emotion there. A sigh escaping him, he tenderly and reverently touched his lips, then forehead to her arm before gazing at her again, his expression speaking for him, 'thank you...' She softly smiled, nodding, then moved that arm to wrap around his shoulder, leaning in to press her lips to his again. 

A moment later his hands were instinctively at his own shirt, yanking it off with her 'help', completely shedding his usual reluctance to show himself; she was worth this. It too was forgotten as she pressed her bare torso to his, mouth again finding his as they danced this strange new tango. She dragged her hands down his chest and arms, noting how he tensed, the feel of his warm skin and the finely toned muscle underneath only further fueling her desire. His hands tangled in her hair and explored her, the sensation of their bodies molded together like this almost already too much, his soft tugs, moans, and scent enough to dazzle her.

In between heated kisses and touches, she managed to wriggle out of her shorts and panties before tugging at his pants buttons with shaking hands as his continued to set her very soul ablaze. It took a couple tries but once she had managed to do so and free him-she froze momentarily.

Oh. Oh dear. She chastised herself internally; of course a man as large as him would be...very large. The idea of that inside her was both thrilling and mildly unnerving. Seeming to pick up on her thoughts, he stuttered, “It-it's okay. If you don't think...”

Biting her lip, her eyes met his again, putting one finger to his mouth to shush him, moving over him and lowering herself just enough to let the head of his cock press against her entrance, shivering at that contact alone. He hissed in a breath, hands on her waist stiffening as she moved to take him further. She closed her eyes with a gasp as she sheathed him almost fully, her entire body trembling with the adjustment, mouth half-open until he pulled her to him, groaning into their kiss. She was certain any second she could lose it; he was so enormous it almost hurt, hitting every nerve inside her, yet the exhilaration and sweetly painful ache made her very bones beg for more. With a shuddering moan against his mouth, she raised her hips and lowered them again, rocking against him, breath shaky with each movement and threw her arms around him, pressing her forehead to his as he clutched her hips and moved with her, his deep groans only fueling her further.

After what seemed like far too short a time, his pace grew erratic and he buried his face in her neck, panting hard, “I-I-can't-”

“Do it,” she moaned, “It's o-okay-oh please don't stop!”

A few frantic thrusts later, he suddenly stilled, shaking as he spilled himself into her groaning her name, those last few movements being enough to push her over the edge as well. She tossed her head back and gasped out, shuddering as her entire being exploding in fireworks, but he grasped the back of her head and molded his lips to hers, absorbing her cries. Both paused for a few moments, resting their foreheads together, coming down from the dizzying high. Still clinging to each other, they fell to their sides in a sweaty tangle. She turned, pulling herself up to rest her head on his broad chest, hand entwined with his as the other encircled her back to hold her close. 

They lay in silence for some time, each lost to their own thoughts. Coral fought the urge to drift off, sleepy from the steady drum of his heartbeat, the warm afterglow of their love making and how oddly at peace she felt here, cradled In his strong arms. She couldn't remember when was the last time she had felt such a sense of calm. Still, there was the insidious, nagging whisper in the back of her mind that said this couldn't last. She knew what they were risking, what could happen, yet at the moment all she wanted to focus on was this; them being intertwined, the sound of his breath and heart, the scent and touch of his body against her own, a tiny, stolen miracle which she'd hoped for but never thought they'd have.

For Hazel's part, he meandered between thinking about what had just happened and what could happen. Coral sighed, nuzzling her face into his shoulder and he pulled her a little tighter into himself, folding this beautiful, stubborn woman into his arms, clinging to her and this moment. He was a mess; a broken, lost, rage-filled mess and yet somehow she was able to see this and see past it, down to what scraps of humanity she sensed still buried in his soul. It unnerved him and yet elated him; he would never admit how deeply, desperately lonely he was, keeping everyone at arm's length and yet here she was, shattering his walls to embrace him for what he was, flaws and all.

And yet...despite the bond they had forged, would it be strong enough to withstand the madness that was to come? Would she be safe? Would Salem or the others use them against each other? He gave a long sigh, hating how he couldn't just relax and enjoy this rare moment of contentment. Such was the price of everything he had endured, he surmised; his survival instinct could never be shut off. All of a sudden, another thing crossed his mind and he cursed himself.

Sitting up, he glanced uncomfortably at her middle, “I'm certain you have medication to deal with..?”

Her face was hard to read, but she sat up as well, shaking her head, “You don't have to worry about it,” her hands went to her lower belly, “They made sure of that.”

He waited, knowing she would speak when ready, and after a moment she did, her fingers tracing the old and faded scars there, “When I was about fourteen, Jett and I were jumped by some gang members. They let us go...” her jaw clenched, “But not before they took one of his fingers, and stabbed me a few times. Luckily they missed my most vital organs, but the surgery to save my life made it so that I can never have children...”

“I...see.” he replied, relieved there was no risk of a child yet disliking how he had upset her; nonetheless it had been a necessary question. They were quiet as he pulled her closer, and she nestled her face into his chest for a minute before he spoke again.

“I never did thank you for pulling me from the lake and saving my life, did I?”

“I believe you just did.”

He gave a soft chuckle, a rare sound she had grown to cherish, “Well, regardless, thank you...” looking to the door his face became serious again, “It's probably best you stay here tonight. Certain people like to prowl the halls at all hours, and I don't think you want to run into them.”

She had a suspicion it was either Tyrian or Salem he spoke of, or worse both, and she saw his point but the other equally vivid thought on her mind was the idea of spending the night with him as if they were...dare her brain even think the words?

“You raise a good point. Although...” she glanced at her discarded clothing, “I don't have anything to change into and I fear I may have already gotten enough sweat on your sheets...”

Silently, he let go of her, and pulling his pants back on stepped to a dresser and pulled out a gray t-shirt. He handed it to her saying, “You can borrow this if you'd like. My bathroom is through that door. You're welcome to use it as needed.”

She took the offered garment with a nod and a quiet 'thank you', admiring the sight of him shirtless before getting up and stepping through the indicated door and quietly shutting it. She hung the shirt over a hook and turned on the sink, letting cool water flow through her fingers before scooping up a handful and splashing it on her face. Looking up at her reflection, she gazed at herself while her mind reflected on recent events.

So much had happened, her brain was still processing it all. The horrors of the past couple weeks had been dulled by time, and certainly by this. She watched her face flush bright scarlet, remembering every sound, every touch as their bodies moved together, how his deep eyes burned into her, his primal moans setting her veins aflame..

Abruptly, she noticed a cloud of steam and looking down at her hands, saw the remaining water had gone. She raised an eyebrow; how odd. She must have been warmer than she thought. 

A few minutes later, she emerged from the bathroom and cleared her throat. He was stretched out on the bed, the only light in the room coming now from the one lamp beside him he hadn't extinguished. Looking up from the book he had been skimming and taking off his reading glasses, he neatly placed them on his nightstand. He had changed into a pair of loose sweat pants and a worn white tank top. She looked down at herself; the shirt hung to mid thigh, the sleeves coming past her elbows.

“Well...” she said, “It fits.”

Her heart nearly melted anew as he cracked a bemused smile, “I didn't expect an issue.”

Reaching up, he switched off the lamp, and then the only light came from the shattered moon, leaving silver trails across the room. Gazing out the window over the eerie landscape, she couldn't help but think of the contrast between the wild and harsh outside, and the more peaceful one here inside. Hazel pulled the bed sheets aside and crawled in with a weary yawn, looking up and gesturing for her to join him. She did so, sliding in and settling herself into the firm yet soft mattress, her head sinking into a comfortably worn pillow. 

A quiet settled over them. They lay just inches apart, yet for Coral, it seemed like miles. Her eyes kept flicking to him, his one arm propped behind his head, chest slowly rising and falling with each breath. She wanted to curl herself into his side again, but suddenly felt awkward about it. She knew it was almost backwards, considering, but...

As if he could read her mind, he glanced at her, his expression almost confused and his other arm slid under her and pulled her close. A contented hum and she molded herself against him, arm draped across his chest, face nuzzled into his shoulder.

“Goodnight, Hazel...” she said softly.

“Goodnight, Coral.” he replied, his deep voice languid before resting his head back and closing his eyes.

She yawned, melting into him, relishing the feel and warmth of his body against hers, ignoring the whispers in the back of her mind, knowing she should rest but was too awake to sleep yet. Thus she lay in the dark, alone with her thoughts yet not alone for company. She dare not move for fear of waking him, and now she was certain he was fast asleep; his breath was slow and deep, heartbeat calm. Occasionally he would twitch or snore lightly, and though he even spoke once she couldn't make out the words. Eventually, lulled by his heartbeat and exhausted, she drifted off as well.

-Coral awoke sharply, her eyes snapping open the instant her brain registered unfamiliar surroundings. In the moment it took her to shed the fog of sleep, she remembered-especially when she turned her head and saw her face was inches from the bear of a man she had slept next to. He was on his side spooning her, arms practically enveloping her and still sound asleep. Though she undoubtedly felt content and peaceful here, some unknown, whispering feeling in the back of her conscious seemed to be urging her to hang on to this, to burn it into memory. She knew not why but it was so strong she had to heed it, thus she drew a deep breath and focused on the present moment; the soft, cozy bed. The handsome man next to her, his strong, angular features framed by his thick, deep brown hair. She noted the lines forming around his eyes and mouth, borne from the hard life he'd had. It occurred to her for the first time she had no idea what his age was.

Suddenly he shifted, mumbling and cracking his eyes open. They snapped open fully, a momentarily startled expression on his face.

“Um...good morning.” Coral said.

He rolled and sat up, rubbing his face, “Good morning...” turning to regard her more thoroughly he added, “I'm...not used to company.”

“Nor am I.” she replied, getting up and starting to pick up her clothes, her heart whispering 'but I could get used to it...'

He swung himself around to sit on the edge of the bed, yawning loudly and rolling his shoulders. Coral could hear the cracking of his joints as he stood, stretching casually and running a hand through his messy hair. Still that voice deep inside hissed to remember this, thus she did, burning the image of him calm and still sleepy into her memory, imagining a scenario where this could be every day.

It was then her stomach decided to growl loudly enough he heard it too, for he said, “I could use some breakfast as well.”

They dressed in silence, each unsure of what to say now that they had to go back to the reality of their day and situation. Once they had finished, Coral turned to face him, walking up to and standing in front of him. He gazed down at her curiously, and she remembered a time when being this close to him was intimidating. Reaching up, she rested one hand against his chest, feeling his solid warmth and the drum of his heart. This too was etched into memory, carefully folded and locked away. She sighed, beginning the conversation that had been eating at her.

“For both our sake's, we should keep this between us.”

He nodded, laying his hand over hers and giving it a gentle squeeze, “I agree, and had you not suggested it I was going to...Salem demands complete and unwavering loyalty. Among us she expects cooperation, but little beyond that. Actual friendship is discouraged, but tolerated so long as we understand the rules...that she is absolute, and nothing is to interfere with or challenge that.”

Coral finished his thought, “Thus relationships would be strictly forbidden, lest someone form any bond that could mean possible loyalty to another that could become stronger than to her...”

Hazel gave a somber nod, “Precisely.” 

As he spoke he untangled his hand from hers and made his way to the door, undoing the locks and opening it enough to peer out. Turning just a little, he tilted his head to say it was clear before softly saying, “Be careful. I'll see you soon.” and slipping out. 

She stood for a minute, hearing his footsteps fade into silence before going to the door and heading out herself.


	6. Stitches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another mission, another chance to redeem herself...another knife in her heart, another reason to wish there was another way...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***CW for suicide contemplation***

A short while later she was returning to her room with a mug of coffee and some fruit when she heard an unwelcome chuckle from-overhead, it seemed. Looking up, she frowned as Tyrian swung himself from the rafter he had been perched on to hang upside down by his tail. It had been a while since their paths had crossed, a fact she had enjoyed until now. He grinned almost nonchalantly at her.

“A good morning to you, Coral. Long time no see. How have you been? Not too terribly, I hope.”

She bit her tongue to keep from shouting back at him. She could see it in the gleam of his yellow eyes, how they flicked to her well-covered arms and legs; he knew exactly what she had been through and was relishing in it. Instead she growled lowly in her throat, walking around him and continuing on her way with a simple, “Well enough, thank you.” 

He hopped down and trotted to catch up, walking beside her, shaking his head, “I did hear about you and Hazel's little mishap. I would empathize, but I myself have never failed our divine queen.”

Coral's grip on her items tightened, “I commend you for that.”

He fluttered his eyes with false sympathy, “It'll be okay. Our Grace is a strict but merciful ruler. I'm certain you'll be able to atone for your sins,” he suddenly drew a sharp breath, “I just remembered something...where, if I may ask, have you been all night?”

She froze for just a second, praying he didn't notice, before giving him a curious glance, “In my room...why?”

“That's odd...very odd,” he tapped his chin, “You see, I was in that very spot for many hours. Sleep is an elusive creature for me, I'm afraid. That hall is the only passage between your room and the kitchen...and I don't recall you passing by...”

“Perhaps you drifted off without noticing.” she answered calmly, the alarm bells screaming in her head, 'he knows oh Brothers he knows' 

He laughed mirthlessly, “Oh, I make it my habit to know everyone else's. Watts and Hazel are early risers. Cinder, being quite young, tends to come in much later. You yourself are somewhere in the middle. Yet today...” he stepped closer, cocking his head, “You came from one direction only.”

As he had been speaking, she felt her anger rising higher, her muscles shaking with the effort to control herself; she didn't notice the coffee in her mug beginning to boil, “And just what are you implying?”

Tyrian grinned, making no pretense now to hide his glee, “I”m saying that-”

Abruptly, the mug exploded, steaming liquid and shards of earthenware flying in all directions. Tyrian cried out and leaped, gripping another rafter and slinging himself upwards at the same time she gasped and shielded her face. Silence fell, the soft clinking of bits of pottery hitting the floor the only sound, and she caught his alarmed gaze with one of her own before she broke into a run, not stopping until she reached her room and locked the door behind her.

It was nearly a week before her and Hazel's paths crossed again. Unfortunately, it was in Salem's meeting room, where both of them had been summoned for reasons unknown. They stood quietly, waiting as she entered, walking slowly past them and taking her place at the head of the long table.

“What is one of the most valuable assets to any goal?” she said at length.

Letting the question hang in the air just long enough to make them uncertain if she truly expected an answer or not, she spoke again, “Information. On that note, I have another task for you two, one that when you're successful, will prove most useful.”

Coral noted how she used affirmative language, saying 'when' instead of 'if', and knowing this meant failure a second time would not be forgiven as she was directly addressed, “Coral. In the city of Mistral is one of the oldest, most complete libraries and information centers in all of Remnant. Within that are two things I need; one is an ancient book, and the other is a cache of confidential files stored only on one computer in the head librarian's office. You will retrieve both of these. I trust securing inanimate objects will be something you can handle.” 

Hiding her resentment of the remark, one hand going to her arm, Coral kept her eyes down as Salem turned to Hazel, “Hazel, I need you to make contact with someone I believe will prove most helpful to our cause. When you speak with him, make sure he knows how important it will be, to him and us, to lend his cooperation.”

She stood, “Dr. Watts will have further details and resources for you. Speak with him, then you will depart tomorrow. That is all.”

They stood in respectful silence, going to leave. Just as they reached the door, she said coolly, “One last thing.”

Instantly they stopped and turned. She folded her hands in front of her as she continued, “As you go about your tasks, keep this in mind; you're here because I saw something in you, and you see how few can wear that distinction. You know the things I expect from you...and distractions are not one of them. Now go.”

They walked in silence for some time on their way to Watt's lab. At last, the tears making her vision swim, Coral broke it with a hoarse whisper, “She knows...” 

Later that night, Coral knelt on her bed, staring at the pearl-handled knife in front of her, an empty bottle of whiskey on the small bedside table. The moonlight seeped through her small windrow, silvery light ice cold as the blade that reflected it. She lifted it in both hands, remembering the day Jett had gifted it to her. It had been her fifteenth birthday and she had squealed in delight as he lovingly rubbed her hair. Now she turned it over, holding it pointed at her own heart, breath growing heavier, hands shaking. 

With the consequences for her failure, her utter terror of it happening again, her realization she was not the stone-hearted killer she had thought she could be, and now Salem's all-but outright condemnation of her and Hazel's closeness, a nagging doubt plaguing her for months had finally become too clear to ignore; she didn't belong here. She was not cut out for this but now she was in so deep the only way out she could see was to-

A vision hit her, so vivid and powerful for a moment she was certain she must have actually ended her life and now she was seeing the other side...her brother grabbed her in a hug, placing one hand over the knife and gently guiding it away from her chest as he said, _'Hey, hey Sticks...you got yourself in a real mess this time eh? Come on. We've been in tough situations before. You didn't give up then...why you givin' up now? You've got a role to play yet...might not be here, might not be what you wanted...but you can't kick it now. That ain't you. There's more to discover about yourself. Keep going. You'll figure it out. And who knows, you might have help from someone else....'_

Just as quickly, he was gone and she gasped, the knife falling from her grasp as her hands went to her face, muffled sobs softly echoing in the dark room. His words seeped into her veins as she recalled just a few hours prior...

_-After talking to Watts for a while and him giving them the necessary tools and information, they were heading to their respective rooms when Coral paused outside the training arena and said, “One more round...again?”_

_His expression was hard to read, but he nodded and they entered. Their sparring was different this time, less friendly and more focused, more desperate, as if they were fighting off the creeping inevitable. Coral had made significant strides; she was now able to get upwards of ten hits on him before he was able to deal her one. At the end of their fourth match, he sighed loudly and stretched before crossing his arms._

_“You've improved tremendously,” in a somewhat strained tone he added, “...I don't believe there's anything left I can do for you. I think it may be time you...sought fulfillment elsewhere.”_

_Her mouth hung open, breath heavy from fighting and from the significant look in his eyes; she understood what he was trying to say and struggled to hold back her tears. No...no no no. As much as her brain realized it was the wise thing to do for their mutual safety, her heart clenched and cried in agony as she had never known. Swallowing hard, she screwed her eyes shut to collect herself before opening them and nodding, “I understand. Thank you for everything.”_

_He glanced away, as if staring her down was too much, “You're welcome. We leave early, so it's vital we rest up. I'll see you in the morning.”_

_Walking past her as she stood still, he let his hand brush hers for just a moment and said in the lowest whisper he could, “I'm sorry...”_

_“Me too...” she replied, her voice barely audible as he went on his way. She stood for a moment, alone in the large, rock-strewn room with her mind whirling and heart about to shatter, feeling utterly hopeless._

_This was not for her. Not this place, not this path. She had felt the budding disquiet and doubt for quite some time, but her connection with Hazel had given her a renewed sense of hope; perhaps together they'd be able to achieve their goals and have someone on their side. But it had become painfully clear as she learned more about the terrifying woman that was Salem and the situation she had so eagerly signed up for that there were no such things as sides, or warmth, or love here. All things that could bring joy beyond the scraps of praise and knowing your ends were being fulfilled 'through her' would be swiftly snuffed out._

_She turned to leave, dark thoughts spiraling ever downward. How would she free herself from this nightmare? Could she? Perhaps on their mission she could make a run for it..but Salem would find her eventually and she knew her punishment would be far more severe. She could also deliberately mess up, be captured...but that would only keep her safe for so long. Plans continued to spin in her mind, each as improbable as the last. Rounding the corner to her room, she heard a noise and spun to see what it was, and seeing nothing turned back around-to find herself inches from Tyrian._

_She gasped, stumbling over her own feet as she fell back and he smiled with false concern, “I'm so sorry to startle you, but I wanted to wish you luck.”_

_“Well, you just did. So thank you. Now you must excuse me.” she replied curtly, stepping around him, but he lashed out his tail to block her path. She scowled openly now at him as he chuckled._

_“Please, I wasn't finished. I also wanted to give you a bit of advice; this mission will be most vital to your continued stay here, obviously, having been unsuccessful in your last. I do hope you won't allow yourself any...” he stuck out his lip, “...distractions.”_

_His words struck like a bolt of lightning and in a flash her normally calm, aloof demeanor evaporated as she lunged and tried to grab him. His eyes went wide and he let out what could only be described as a furious hiss as he leapt away._

_“What did you do?! What did you say to her?” she snarled._

_His manner changed instantly, almost convulsing with that high-pitched, giddy laughter that gave her goosebumps and he cocked his head, “I did only what any loyal subject would; report my findings!”_

_“I will cut off your tail and strangle you with it you little-”_

_“Honestly, what is all the noise about?” said a weary-sounding voice from behind them. Coral glanced and felt her heart sink further as Watts stood there, coffee in one hand and a screen in the other._

_His eyes flicked between them for a moment before he continued, “Tyrian, what have I told you about playing with your food? And Coral, I would expect more humility out of you...considering. Well, in any case,” he sipped his coffee and turned to leave, “Do make sure you secure those items, and I'd say to watch each other's backs but I'm certain you'll have no trouble with that.”_

_As soon as he was out of view, Coral glowered at Tyrian and his triumphant sneer with contempt before shouldering past him and entering her room, slamming the door behind her..._

-It took some time to compose herself, but once she had, she put the knife back in it's worn leather sheath and stood, walking to the window with a glass of water and a renewed sense of determination; somehow, she would find a way to survive. Whether through here or by some other means, she would not be taken down. Not yet. There were goals she still had to achieve, justice to still be dealt. She felt her anger and passionate will flow through her-and looked down to see the water in her hands bubbling. Startled, she set it down, and it soon settled. She cocked her head, curious; this was now the third time such a thing had happened, forming enough of a pattern it couldn't be ignored. Looking at her hands, she smiled wistfully. Perhaps her brother had been right...

The next morning, Coral slung her bag over her shoulder and strode out of the castle toward the airship dock, ignoring Watts and Tyrian, and even Cinder who had recently returned. The young girl gave Coral a snide grin, obviously having been informed by the others of recent 'news'. She ignored the child as well and boarded the vessel, going to her sleeping area and tossing the bag onto the bed as the ship began to take off, confident in her ability to get through this-until she looked up and saw Hazel.

He glanced her way, eyes somehow more mournful than ever as he walked past, and she felt that aching clench in her chest anew...

The rest of the day was spent in relative silence, each staying out of each other's way as much as possible in the small space. With Hazel piloting the ship and Coral not really needed, they kept to their own devices. She spent her time trying to replicate those instances where liquid had heated instead of froze to her touch, but had little success. As the sun began to sink and the sky turned a burnt orange-pink, she went to the front of the ship for a change of view, still with her experimental cup of water-and paused when she saw Hazel standing at the helm, the glowing sunset painting him in shades of gold and amber. He looked so despondent, yet so handsome in that moment she wanted to weep. Instead she choked back her feelings and stepped closer, noting how he registered her presence with carefully controlled interest.

“How much further is it?” she asked dryly.

He replied with equal detachment, “Another day and a half, if the winds are favorable.” 

They were quiet then, watching the sky slowly change in color and lost to their thoughts. She turned her head just the slightest to study him without his notice, and her heart both swelled and ached at how much she cared for him, yet couldn't continue showing it. Unable to stop where her mind was meandering to, she also remembered the one night they had had together and what an incredible, passionate experience it had been; their breath and bodies connected as one, his rough yet gentle hands on her skin, the sounds and-

She gasped and stepped back, the water in her cup bubbling over. He looked from it to her, eyebrow raised, “What was that?”

In a rush, the dots connected in her head. This was the pattern. Every time this had happened...consequences be damned, she had to know.

Coral strode up to him and boldly said, “Kiss me.”

Taken aback, Hazel turned and blinked, “What?”

“Kiss me,” she repeated, “I think I've figured something out about my Semblance, but I need confirmation,” she reached up and rested her hand on his chest, swearing she felt his heartbeat increase, “Please...you said there was nothing more you could do for me, but there is, and this is it. I...need you...one last time.”

She saw the subtle play of emotions on his face, the surprise and uncertainty shifting to a kind of pensive longing she was certain was clearly written across her own. Going to the controls, he set the craft to autopilot before turning back to her. Bending down as she stood on her toes, his lips met hers and she shivered with the electricity that danced up her spine, the softest moan rising in her throat and she felt him tense. They broke apart, staring each other down and feeling a dangerous yearning begin to grow. She managed to tear her gaze away long enough to glance at the cup she still held-and saw the water within only giving off the slightest bubbles. She felt a bone-deep, strange sensation spreading throughout her body as she concentrated, but the full extent and understanding still felt frustratingly just out of reach.

“Was...that sufficient?” he inquired, trying to keep his breath steady even as she plainly saw his resolve faltering, hands already settling on her waist.

“I don't think so...” she said, running her trembling hand along his jaw and down his neck to the low v-notch on his shirt, hungry gaze meeting his, “I might need more information to work with...”

“Very well.”

That was all that was needed as they came crashing together again, lips and hands tangling around each other, breath already heavy with desire as they surrendered to the magnetic pull they felt, the forgotten cup falling to splash upon the floor. She undid the belt encircling his waist, pushing her hands under his shirt and relishing the warmth and fineness of his toned muscle. Before she could do more he hoisted her into his arms and strode to his sleeping area, where they fell upon the bed together in an already tangled knot, carelessly shedding their clothes in between feverish kisses and caresses.

They both knew full well this was probably a mistake, that this course of action would only make the knife twisting in their hearts all the more painful, however at this moment all that mattered was here and now; the ache, the need, the deep-seated undercurrent of anger at how they'd finally found a shred of joy only for it to be ripped away, and the desperation to forget the inevitable. All that mattered right now was together...

It could have been minutes, hours, or even days that passed, and they wouldn't have known, being completely lost in this golden bubble of bliss and each other. However long it had been didn't matter as they eventually lay tangled together in blissful yet restless silence. Coral shifted a little, stretching one leg then lazily letting it drape over his thigh, tucked into him as he held her and rested his chin on top of her head. She noted how the moonlight, dimmed by clouds then released again, played off the sharp curves of his muscular form, tanned skin painted a pale silver. The only sound came from their breathing, finally calmed down to normal, and the constant hum of the airship's engines underneath them. She gingerly traced a long streak of scarring on his chest as he moved his other arm to pull her closer, letting his fingers trail her back and kissing the top of her head. She sighed, pressing her face into his broad chest and inhaling deeply his musky, earthy scent. 

“I lied, when I said that was the last thing I needed your help with...there's one more...” Coral said at length.

He hummed softly, the rumble of his voice she felt as much as heard, a distant, strangely comforting roll of thunder, and she slowly explained, “I...need you to help me die...”


	7. Broken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Closer and closer they creep toward the end; of their tasks, and of everything else...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I...don't know how many times I edited and re-edited this one. I don't even know if it's any good or emotionally impactful; my brain started to go fuzzy after reading it so much.

Instantly he disentangled himself and sat up enough to stare wide-eyed at her, “What?”

She pulled herself up to face him, the alarm on his face making her realize how her wording must have sounded and she reached out a hand to rest on his cheek, “No, no...I'm sorry. Let me explain...”

Thus she did; all her concerns, realizations, the vision she had had with her brother, and finally, the plan she had formed before they had even departed.

Reaching to lift a glass of water by the bedside, she held it as she explained, “Remember, Mistral is where I'm from. I know a man there who can alter and even make fake security footage. I get him to make a file that makes it look as though I was killed, I add it to the library's security feed, for all anyone knows, I'm gone. The next part is where I need your help...though you've done so much already...” she focused, and this time, as easily as her freezing ability came to her, the water in her glass bubbled before turning to a cloud of steam to waft into the air, and she smiled ruefully, “It's thanks to you I made the connection between heightened emotions and being able to do more with my Semblance,” she set the empty glass down and looked back to him, “After we're done, you'll be returning and I won't. We need to think of what to say that will keep Salem from ever looking for me, then you'll be safe and...I will be too.”

His eyes hardened, just a little and his voice dropped to the colder tone reminiscent of when they had first started conversing, “You are aware of what you're asking of me.”

“I...can't think of any other way...” she explained, “If you refuse I would not hold it against you. She'll never let me go unless I'm dead, so that is what I must do. Die, so I can live...I...I don't know what else to do...”

Her calm visage cracked, tears forming and rolling down her face as she drew a shuddering breath, willing herself to swallow back the turmoil inside, made all the harder by the tenderness returning to his face. Hazel pulled her close, absorbing her short, sharp gasps as she tried desperately not to start crying, stroking her hair as he stared out the window, cursing himself that with all his strength he was here powerless to do anything. She was right, and he hated it.

After a time he pulled back and rested his forehead against hers, again feeling that strangely familiar yet distant emotion welling in him as he replied with quiet resignation, “If you wish...”

“Thank you...” she whispered, reaching to glide her hands up his jaw and resting them in his thick hair.

Their faces, their lips were so close it was only moments before they came together, quickly losing themselves once again in the bittersweet spell of their short time left together...

It was evening, the blood-red sun sinking behind the distant mountains and stars beginning to twinkle, the city lights coming on and bustling with activity as they landed in a secluded field outside a set of side gates to avoid drawing any more attention to themselves than was necessary. Slipping inside, they made their way into the city proper before pausing at a main fork in the meandering paths that fed into more separate areas.

“I know my way around quite well,” said Coral, “You needed to head to Haven Academy, correct?”

“Yes.” he replied simply, avoiding eye contact and shifting the canvas bag he carried from one hand to the other. 

It hurt a bit, but more and more, she understood, as looking at him was growing increasingly painful by the moment, “You should head up this path, “she pointed, “It'll take you to the back side of the school. Obviously the less people see you the better...”, she gestured to a road that led down a sloping path toward the lower reaches of the city, “I have to head this way first before I go to the library. I...I'll see you later, at the rendezvous point.”

Hazel only nodded, and gathering her strength she stepped past him, saying calmly, “Good luck...”

“And you.” he replied before turning and striding off.

Coral gazed after him for as long as she dared before adjusting the strap on her own cross-body bag and winding her way down the steep, gravel-strewn road, ducking around single and clusters of people and Faunus, keeping her hood and scarf up to obscure her identity, descending a couple 'levels' down until she reached a narrow side street. Down here the slums teemed with activity at all hours and of all types if you knew where to look or who to ask; drug deals, prostitution, illegal Dust sales, weapons and medicines of questionable quality and origin. It was a world she was all too familiar with, having spent a good portion of her formative years being part of it.

There were only a couple people milling about, and she blended herself into the shadow of a scraggly clump of trees until they moved on. Taking a look to make sure there was no one else, she darted to the side-door of a modest house, setting a bag tied with a blue ribbon in front of it and giving a few swift knocks before whipping around to again hide in the nearby gloom. She waited, watching, until the door cracked open. Her heart leaped as a woman with gray-streaked, dark-pink hair peered out then down with a start. Lifting the bag, the woman turned and said something to someone inside, and a moment later a tall man appeared. They spoke quietly, then gazed around the area as if searching for whoever left it. Coral watched, blinking away the tears, longing to go to them but knowing she couldn't, and after a minute her parents seemed to give up and went back inside.

Stuffing down the memories that were resurfacing, she touched her lips and extended that hand toward the house before slipping away. Now, with that taken care of, she had to return to focusing as wholly as possible on her task, ignoring the clenching in her chest as she soon came to an old wood and iron door illuminated by a single, weakly flickering bulb that cast eerie shadows in the gloom. Raising a hand, she was about to knock when it swung open, a tall, beer-bellied man in oily overalls taking up the entire door-frame, his bushy beard wild and an eye patch covering one of his brilliant green eyes.

He glowered sternly for a moment until she pulled back her hood and spoke, “Sticks and stones don't always break bones.”

“Coral?!” he sputtered in disbelief, then added to finish the coded phrase, “But they sure will if they hafta...”

He regarded her momentarily before chuckling warmly and holding out his burly arms, “C'mere, ya low-life lassy. I've missed ya somethin' fierce.”

Coral stepped into his embrace with a chuckle, “I've missed you too, Barley...”

There wasn't another soul on the path as Hazel made his way up a gently sloping, tree and shrub-lined path, a fact for which he was grateful. He remained focused, even as the thoughts of what he had to do after this delicate task kept creeping in, and he ignored the twisting ache nestled in his chest. The enormous main building and numerous others loomed closer and closer in the gathering twilight, and he hoped Arthur had been right about his intel, for he didn't wish to make this trek and risk being questioned for nothing. 

After a time he at last reached a set of rear entrance doors, the kind that seemed to be used mainly for food service or maintenance. Gently testing the knobs and finding one unlocked, he gave a sigh at their lack of security and made his way inside, taking the path mapped out for him along the thick, red and gold-carpeted and rich wood-paneled halls. As with outside, he met with no one-until he nearly ran into a young man with a bucket and mop. He ducked into a nearby corner, watching, until he realized the man had on headphones and was paying more attention to his Scroll then his surroundings. He wandered off, and Hazel wondered for a moment how he could have missed a nearly eight foot-tall figure before dismissing the thought, thanking his luck, and silently walked on. Soon he reached a more ornate set of doors, with a stately brass placard that read 'Professor Leonardo Lionheart-Headmaster'.

Pausing, he heard someone inside humming and quietly pushed the door open. An older gentleman with bushy, graying hair was busy filing books away, his long tail almost serenely sweeping side to side when he did a double-take and gave a gasp at Hazel's entrance, nearly falling off of the step-ladder he had been standing upon. 

Snatching up a broom as if to use as a weapon, he snapped, “Who the hell are-?!”

Hazel raised a hand and set down his bag, “Headmaster, please, I didn't mean to startle you. I'm just here to talk...”

Coral touched the small device in her pocket for good luck as she made her way up the steps to the vast Mistral Library. Once inside, a woman at the information desk nodded hello and cheerfully asked if she needed help. She leaned over the desk to blush and coyly inquirer where the romance novel section was, no one noticing how she deftly swapped a small drive in the main desk computer with the one she had had concealed in her hand, programmed to freeze the security cameras on loop. She then calmly wove her way up one set of stairs, then another and another, until she reached a clearly locked door that read 'Rare Books-Employees Only'.

Rolling her eyes, she effortlessly picked the lock and slipped inside, and following Watt's directions quickly found her target. It was an ancient, delicate tome, wrapped in layers of preserving linen and kept in a sliding drawer of other one-of-a-kind books. She allowed herself a moment to admire this relic, brushing her fingers over it's time-worn leather surface, imagining the world in which it was made. Removing it, she placed it gingerly inside her bag, replacing it with the lookalike copy she'd been given and slipped out, heading now to the main, high-security office at the top of the building. Several times she saw a guard, but each she managed to dodge them. 

Each step had felt heavier, each moment she wished could stretch into days, for as she drew closer to completing her goal, she knew also she drew closer to the last step of their plan, the one that broke her heart a little more every time she thought on it. Now she stood in front of the door to this final goal, with no where to go but forward. Again, picking the lock was simple, and she slipped inside like a ghost. The lights were off, but her trained eyes didn't need them; the soft glow coming from the city's lights through the window was sufficient. Moving quickly to the large desk toward the back of the room, the play of light and shadow, sometimes imitating a figure in the corner of her eye, created an eerie atmosphere. Removing both the drives Watts had given her and the one she'd secured from Barley, she first retrieved the files she'd been instructed to...then paused.

The other, containing both her salvation and demise, rested in her palm. If she used it, her fate was sealed. She fought the tremble that crept across her body, the tears that blurred her vision; his face in her mind's eye, his gentle, always borderline mournful smile, how his eyes rested on her, his kind words and warmth for her, only for her...it would all be lost, and they'd both be alone again. Her gaze went to her arm, and she peeled back her glove just enough to see the ugly, raised scars and the tremble and tears broke through.

She had to do this.

“I...” she croaked, “I l-”

_-She stood behind Barley as he sat at his broad, disastrously messy desk typing away on two different keyboards, muttering to himself and spinning his chair to grab different parts he needed, occasionally pausing to also take a swig from the chipped mug sitting on a pile of old books. Several large screens were set up on the desk or bolted to the wall, and across these flashed various images from around his house and workshop, but two were dedicated now to the project he was focused on._

_Coral, seeing he was lost in his work, stepped away to a kitchenette area and set a dented kettle on the small stove to make tea. She would have gazed out a window, but he had all his shuttered tight, with metal bars and padlocks for extra security. She couldn't blame him, after all, hacking into classified files and doctoring security feeds was, though invaluable to the right buyer, highly frowned upon by authorities._

_“Ya alright over there?” he asked over his shoulder._

_She gripped her arms a little tighter, “Yeah.”_

_“...Yer parents miss you, ya know...” he said softly after a moment, “They're still in the same house, though they tell me the strangest stories 'bout how they sometimes get a buncha Lien from some mysterious benefactor. You...wouldn't happen to know 'bout that, would ya?”_

_Coral answered only with, “I...miss them too...”_

_He gave a low hum, knowing well enough to drop the subject, shaking his head as he returned to his work, “Well, ya gonna tell me about him?”_

_“What makes you think a man has anything to do with this?”_

_He shot her a knowing grin over his shoulder, “Other than the fact ya gave me some video clips of him to work with? Lass, it's written all over ya. You've always been like family to me and I know ya. Yer street-smart, but yer not subtle. I remember when the boy a few houses down from yer family had a thing for ya. Ah ya were smitten, tried to deny it, but it were clear as day. Same thing now. So, what's he like?”_

_Coral smiled warmly and looked down; so it was that obvious? Sighing, he wandered over to his side and pulled up a chair, resting her head on his shoulder like she used to, many years ago, “Well, you can't really tell from the clips, but he's almost eight feet tall...”_

_“Bloody hell lass-!”_

_“I know...” she lamented, “Wait 'till I tell you more.”_

Jamming the drive into the computer, a bright chirp came from the machine as a message that read 'uploading encrypted data' followed by incomprehensible strings of computer code flashing across the screen...

“Goodbye...” she murmured.

Hazel stepped out of the building and into the cool night air, a long sigh escaping as he stood for a fleeting moment and gazed up at the stars. Leonardo had complied much easier than he thought, the Faunus falling back with terror at the Seer Grimm he had had packed away with it's 'recorded' message; that and a calm, yet subtly clear he had little choice, speech from Hazel was all it took for the headmaster to now be on their side. He studied the stars as they sparkled calmly as they always did, and though as a younger man he had enjoyed studying them, as with nearly everything else, they no longer held any joy for him. Did anything? One thing did...and after this night that would be lost to him as well. 

His fists clenched at his sides, his whole body shaking and he strode away, one word echoing over and over in his mind; why? Why did he always lose everyone he had ever cared for? His mother, gone when he was so young he could barely remember her, his father, the man who'd raised and taughthim so much, who despite his cold, sometimes harshness loved them...his dear sister, the one for whom he had thrust himself into this endless nightmare, and now the only person he had felt close to in ages, the only woman he could say with any shred of confidence he....did he dare let that thought finish?

The frustration overwhelming, he lashed out and slammed his fist into a nearby tree, the wood shattering as splinters dug into his flesh, though of course he felt none of it. He slowly let his arm droop, ignoring the blood dripping from his fingers and defeated as he felt his eyes water for the first time in ages...

Coral fidgeted, aimlessly wandering back and forth along the top corridors awaiting his arrival for the last and arguably most crucial part of the plan; where he would appear to grab their prizes and run...and she would appear to die. Far too soon, she heard faint but heavy footsteps and turning, saw him appear at a nearby corner and catch her eye, eyebrow raised in an unspoken question. She gestured that it was safe for the moment and he crossed the hall to her spot behind a large pillar.

Uncertain what to say beyond what was necessary to their mission Coral asked, “Were you successful?”

“Yes. And you?”

She carefully pulled the book and several drives from her bag and handed them to him. Placing them in his own, he looked away briefly, and Coral only then noticed his cut hand but as she opened her mouth to ask about it he spoke first.

“Coral, I...” he let out another heavy sigh, swallowing the words that had almost slipped out then steadied himself, “I'll make sure these get back safely.”

She let out the breath she'd been holding, masking the disappointment she felt with a thin smile “I know.”

With a glance at her scroll she noted their window of opportunity was closing fast, far too fast. She heard the distant footfalls of the staff on their evening routine and felt her already pounding heart increase it's drum. It was approaching their only moment for this to work, and she loathed it with every fiber of her being. It had been her own plan after all, carefully crafted after much thought on her own, then with him as they lay together in the deep velvet, moonlit night. It was then she realized there was one more thing she had to do, one thing she'd forgotten to solidify the plan. Taking her bow, she ran her fingers lovingly over it's decorated metal surface and looked up at him.

“I made this with my own hands, after much work, experimentation, blood, and sweat. Lily's Thorn has been with me for years and has saved my life, brought me food, and gotten me out of tight spots more times than I can count. It's like an extension of myself...” she looked back down, brows furrowing, “And now, like me, it has to die.”

Gripping the weapon, she brought it down so sharply on her raised knee it snapped in two, feeling her heart go with it. Hazel looked startled at her display, then his expression relaxed back into a somber understanding as she held out the broken pieces to him.

“Give this to her as physical proof.”

“I will....” he said, letting his fingers rest against hers longer than was necessary as he took them before stashing them away as well.

Hearing them growing closer, even catching snatches of laughter and muffled conversation, she backed away toward her planned escape route.

“I...don't want to do this...” she choked, hating the tears already forming.

Their eyes met again, both aching to say the one thing they knew they couldn't. Her gaze darted back and forth from him, to the approaching people, to the doorway she had to pass through...time slowed and almost stopped. For a single, frozen moment, nothing else existed except them, their eyes locked and both unable to say everything, if anything, they needed to. Then suddenly, she found her feet moving, faster and faster as she ran to him, leaping and throwing herself into his embrace, his bag falling to the floor as his thick arms caught and held her tight.

And finally, after all the months of gradually coming to know, to trust each other, of weaving the threads of their connection, after everything they had built and suffered and celebrated together, she found the words she had dared not say, sobbing them into his neck as they clung to each other.

“I love you! I...I love you...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a commission done of that last scene some time back if you'd like some visual aid. Here's the link: https://conretewings.tumblr.com/post/190502880239/bastart13-commission-for-conretewings-of-hazel


	8. Old Scraps and New Creations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not everything we try to so carefully, lovingly weave together will turn out how we wanted...or at all. But then again, sometimes we're able to pick up the pieces make something new. What that will turn into, only time will tell...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are at the last chapter. This one will be slightly longer than the previous ones, since they're wasn't enough left to split it in two, plus I wanted to make up for how I haven't updated in a while. Please enjoy..

His eyes wavered, mouth half-open staring down at her. Grasping the back of her head to pull her closer, he returned her confession with a wordless one of his own, pressing his lips firmly to hers. Her hand reached up to hold his face, fingers tangling in his hair and beard as tears poured from her eyes. Hopelessly, foolishly she wished at that moment her Semblance was instead the ability to freeze time, to capture this last, aching moment as long as they wanted.

Painfully, slowly, he lowered her so her feet, still dangling in the air, touched the ground and pressed his forehead to hers, his breath labored with the strain of controlling himself.

“Go...” he said simply, and she heard in his voice the same heartache she felt.

In that moment, Coral knew the other most painful thing she had ever felt as she broke from his touch and grabbing her bag, turned and darted through the emergency exit door, heart wrenching apart with every step. Hearing him call her, she spun around, desperately burning every detail of him into her memory.

His eyes darted away before meeting hers again as he cleared his throat, “Coral...I lo-”

The alarm tripped, and the door slammed shut in her face, cutting him off.

A strangled wail escaped her lips as she whirled and ran, leaving so much unsaid and undone...there were so many things she had wanted to ask him, wanted to share, but now they would forever be unfulfilled. She blinked away the tears as she ran for her life, for Jett's memory, for something her mind and soul still debated upon...

Hazel tensed at the metallic clang, clenching his fists and letting the words catch in his throat, stuffing them back down; the empty, soulless air had no right to them without her ears to receive them. It didn't matter, right? She knew...right?

He faltered for only a moment before hearing the staff talking loudly in confusion at the noise and getting far too close, and his mind snapped back into survival mode as he deftly slipped down a side corridor and out of the building...

3 DAYS LATER

-The room was silent. Deathly silent. Salem sat at her place at the head of the table, fingers casually laced in front of her as Watts and Tyrian sat at their respective seats, the young Cinder sitting tall in her own seat, trying to look as self-important as her older 'colleagues'. Hazel knelt at the opposite end, standing only when Salem instructed him to do so.

“I trust your mission was successful.” she said calmly, not as a question, but a statement of fact.

“Headmaster Lionheart has agreed to aid us.” he replied with equal evenness.

Salem nodded, a satisfied smile touching her face, “Excellent. Now...” she glanced about, feigning curiosity with with an almost infuriating coolness, “Why has Coral not joined us?”

A thick silence hung in the air, and Hazel kept his gaze down, lest he see Watts arrogant smirk or Tyrian's smug, knowing grin and say something he'd regret, already feeling their gazes, judgmental and sharp, on him. Taking a couple steps forward, he fished her shattered bow, the book and data drives from his bag and spread them on the table, an offering for the dead, saying the line they had agreed upon.

“Coral will not be returning.”

It was the truth, after all. 

“I wanted her to teach me archery!” grumbled Cinder, crossing her arms with a pout.

Watts, with a snort wondered aloud, “Goodness how did she mess up this one?”

Hazel gripped his bag tightly to contain himself, “There were guards. We were taken by surprise.”

Eyes flicking nervously between Hazel and Salem, Watts quickly pulled up his Scroll, expanding it into a wider screen and tapping furiously at it muttering, “No...no that's not....I checked! This was supposed to be simple...there shouldn't have been any guards...”

“We all make mistakes.” said Hazel dryly, echoing what Watts had said to him when he had failed the Fall Maiden mission, secretly enjoying the man's furiously indignant glower. Cinder and Tyrian each gave a soft snort of laughter, only further annoying the 'good doctor'.

He tapped another spot and waving a hand to expand the scene further in mid-air, a security feed showed Hazel and Coral slipping down a corridor before pausing to check around a corner, but just as Hazel ducked out of sight, behind them came a couple guards, pointing and raising their weapons. Coral spun, taking aim with her bow-but the guards were faster, and with a slight flash, Coral buckled and fell, the bow taking a hit as well and it snapped, the force making it skitter toward Hazel. In the confusion, Hazel snatched up her bag and bow and ran as the guards were distracted, apparently not seeing him at all. In the remaining bit of footage, he vanished down a side hall and out of sight while the guards surrounded the motionless Coral...

The entire time, Hazel kept his expression appropriately emotionless with a practiced ease, even as he felt his insides coil and heart clench; he hadn't seen this until now and fake as it was, it was convincing enough to cause him a real stab of pain seeing her 'die' like that.

There was a brief pause as the footage fizzled out. Watts was grumbling to himself, looking humiliated and faintly nervous before Salem nodded, “It seems you were not detected, and no doubt this is being counted as a single-person break-in,” she let out a weary, yet nonchalant sigh, “She had such potential. Irregardless, we now have the resources needed to plan out our next steps,” standing, she walked around the table to run her fingers over the book, a faintly warm smile on her pale, veined face, then looked up at Hazel, “You've done well, Mr. Rainart. You should be proud, of your work and Coral's. You two have secured vital parts of our plans. Now, go take a well-earned rest. I'll summon you when needed.”

He gave a respectful bow before turning to leave, striding swiftly as he dared from the room, gritting his teeth upon hearing Tyrian's mocking laughter in his ears. His footsteps echoed in the empty halls, and from the counsel room to his own, his thoughts were nothing but a numb blur-but when he finally found refuge in his chamber, the moment he took notice of the bed they had briefly shared, the window they had gazed out, her smile that showed both impossible strength and a bone-deep sadness as she gazed warmly up at him...it was all gone and once again as it had been for so long, he was utterly alone.

His back still to the door he slumped against it, sliding to the floor with his head in his hands, and for the first time in so long he couldn't recall, tears streamed down his face...

“I...I love you too...”

-Coral didn't know how long or how far she had run until she was certain her lungs and heart were about to burst, and she collapsed by the side of the forest path, vomiting into the thick grass, then rolled onto her back and stared up at the shimmering blanket of stars overhead. What now? Where to? Did it even matter? After a time, she sat up and took her knife from it's pouch, holding it near her neck...and grasping a section of her long hair sliced it off. She repeated this until she had a short, if not slightly messy, pixie cut. 

This achieved she fell back to again gazing heavenward. A shooting star briefly flashed across the sky, and she squeezed her eyes shut, making one desperate wish. Opening them, she was momentarily confused-where did the stars go? Then, with mounting horror she realized the two bright red obs in her vision were not stars at all, but the eyes of a Beowolf. It growled lowly, having been attracted by the waves of negativity coming from her.

“...Shit.” she grumbled.

It opened it's mouth with a snarl, hot drool dripping from it's jaws...and for just a moment, a part of her didn't care. It could bite her head off, tear out her guts, and she would welcome the release. Then, just as swiftly as it had appeared, it suddenly dropped and disintegrated with a flash of silver across it's neck. Coral sat up with a start as a man jumped down from a nearby boulder, along with several other people, clearly Hunters. He sheathed his long, rapier-like sword and jogged over to her. 

His sharp, pale blue eyes were warm as he reached out a hand, “That was close. I'm Grey. Who are you?”

As she stared blankly up at him, something snapped. Everything, all she'd been through the last several days, no, the last year, all the fear, uncertainty, strain, the knowledge she'd helped someone so purely malevolent to cause more suffering, the heartbreak of losing of a man she had grown to deeply, profoundly love, knowing he was alone and still stuck within that endless hell, and now having just stared death in the face, slammed into her with an overwhelming wave of force and she choked up, the tears flowing freely again.

“You... _you should have let it tear me apart!_ ” she wailed, curling in on herself hopelessly.

Grey blinked in confusion, but before he could say anything more a blonde woman swooped in and knelt, gathering Coral in her arms and just letting her sob as she rocked her. Looking up at another man she said sternly, “We need to move before any more show up. Orrin, can you carry her?”

A tall, dark-red haired man nodded, “Aye, she don't look heavy. I got her, Cynthia.”

Moments later, the group ran through the night, a limp and half-delirious Coral on Orrin's broad back. The lights of Mistral grew steadily hazier and further away, and Coral stared at them, wondering if he was okay and repeating a mantra over and over as she slipped into unconsciousness...

“I love you...I'm so sorry...”

**EPILOGUE**

She had finally managed to get away from her understandably furious, distrustful, and the part that was the hardest, hurt teammates after relating her story and sending him a message. She had stared at her Scroll for ages before hitting the send button, unsure if she'd get a reply-but she had, and now she stood in the ruins of an abandoned barn in the deep, moonlit night. The roof had mostly caved in, and a few small trees had begun to grow within the space. A flock of bats took flight from the rotting rafters, startling her and making her spin around-and there he was. Oh...her stomach flipped from joy and apprehension.

She started to stride toward him, “Hazel, I-”

He held up a hand to stop her and she paused, only now truly getting a good look at him as he stepped closer and the bright light illuminated him. She felt a stab of dread in her heart; he gazed at her with that same stony, cold way he had when they had first met, and her mind whirled-why?

“...Hazel..? I...I've missed you so much...I'm so sorry, I've been-” she tried again.

He brought his other hand up, opening it to let an item tumble to the ground, and she recognized it as her arrow-no doubt the one she'd let fly to strike a tree near him...disobeying Grey's command to bury it in the back of his skull. Ah. This might have something to do with it, she thought wryly. 

“You dropped this.” he said flatly.

She winced, “I had to make it look convincing so they wouldn't question me...but they did anyway...”

The silence was thick and tense after that. He stood still, arms crossed and staring at her with an expression she could not read. Finally he spoke in a slow, careful tone, “I thought you were supposed to be dead, yet here you are, not doing a very good job of it. What if Watts, or Tyrian, had been with me? What if they'd seen you? Had that been the case we'd both be in danger.”

She felt the tremble throughout her whole body and fought it back with every ounce of control she wasn't using to keep her voice steady or even worse, the foolish, deep desire to throw her arms around him, “I still am. I've been laying low, changed my hair, my clothes, my name, everything. And, I know-that's why I hit a tree right next to you so only you'd see it and then ran...””

He ignored that and stalked in a circle, moving to another line of questioning, “So now you're fighting for the people that are helping keep this broken system going, the type that are okay with children being sent into a hopeless war...” he shifted his hard gaze back to her, “The type that are okay with your brother's death?”

That tremble broke through a little, “I'm fighting for the people who aren't going to torture or kill me if I make a mistake. I'm fighting for...” she clenched her fists; he had a point. Oftentimes it crossed her mind the ironic hypocrisy of her fighting with a team of Hunters who happily touted the glories of the Academies. Tearing her eyes away from his for fear of breaking entirely or saying something like 'fighting for you, for us', she continued,“I knew I wasn't cut out to be a part of her plans...you knew it too,” she turned back to stare at him with as much conviction as she could muster, “If I was going to avenge Jett, I had to find another way..don't you remember...?”

He didn't reply at first, only releasing a long, deep sigh. Coral stood frozen, unsure if there was anything else she should say, if there was anything _to_ say. She could see it in his severe gaze, could feel it in the palpably callous aura of his presence...this was not the man she knew. He was so different from the last time she'd seen him; he looked a little older, obviously, but also more tired, more apathetic, more...angry and hurting. It was as if the last few years had hardened him even further, and any of those sparks of light she'd seen in him were now snuffed out entirely. What happened? Now on top of everything she felt a wave of guilt for not being there for him.

He shook his head slowly, looking away and up to the stars and shattered moon through the mostly-fallen roof, “Do you remember the time you took the blame for the failure of our mission to secure the fall maiden?”

Coral shuddered; oh, she remembered everything...both the pain and the pleasure. Her hand went subconsciously to the scars her arms still bore from Salem's torture, “Yes...” she replied. 

“You took responsibility for my mistake. I decided that day I owed you a debt...” he looked back to her, his deep name-sake eyes boring into her ocean-blue ones, “Today that debt is repaid. I never saw you, and you never saw me.”

Coral nodded, barely holding back her tears, “You owe me nothing...but thank you...”

“However...” his gaze hardened again, “Don't let our paths cross again. If they do, I won't be able to let you go next time.”

“I know.” she nodded, the tears threatening to spill over, as he turned away, her heart leapt; this might be the last time they saw each other, this might be her last chance and as foolish as this notion was, especially with their interactions these past few minutes her very soul wouldn't allow her to not at least try and she quickly called, “Hazel?”

He paused, one eyebrow raised.

She risked a couple steps toward him, arm outstretched, palm up, “Come with me. We can start over, start a new path...we'll find justice our own way. You don't have to risk your life, and I don't have to lie to myself that I'm doing the right thing...please I'm so afraid you're going to be killed...I still care about you, and I...I still love you. I know we can do it, you and me, together...”

He stared down unmoved at her offered hand. At length he looked up at her with the same detachment he'd shown this whole time, “No. I've chosen my path.”

Coral's arm shook, her heart cracking further, still reaching toward him as he started to walk past her. Desperate, knowing this was unwise but unable to quell the pounding, desperate roar in her brain she grabbed his wrist, “Please wait, if we can-”

Instantly Hazel wrenched from her grasp and turned on her with a growl, “We can what?”

She faltered, the words catching in her chest, fighting the urge to back away with the weight of his frustrated gaze on her. No. She would not be afraid of, be intimidated by him, not after everything they had shared. She had gotten past that ages ago. Before she could speak however he continued.

“What is your goal here? Why did you really message me?”

“I-I wanted to see you again...to say I'm sorry for how things worked out...to maybe convince you to come with me or-”

“Stop trying to save me!” he barked, and this time she did back off as he stalked a few steps away and crossed his arms, adding more softly, shoulders drooping, “This is my burden to bear...”

Taking a risk, she cautiously approached again, still clinging to a feeble shred of hope, “I've always been stubborn...”

When she was close, he turned, and she fought back the shiver up her spine at his icy look, “You have no idea what's happened these last few years,” he moved his arms to turn his hands palm-up, “There is so much blood on these hands...if you really think they can still hold you, if you believe I'm the same man I was, then you are a bigger fool than I thought.”

Her face fell, and through her cerulean eyes, those that had always held a warmth and kindness for him unlike any he'd known in eons, he could see the pieces of her heart shattering. Good. She finally understood he was beyond her reach, that he was a hopeless cause and she was better off far away from him. He was a dangerous man in a dangerous game, one that she herself had admitted she didn't fit into. It was better this way, safer for them both...that had been the goal, after all. Her entire body seemed to slump as her gaze fell upon the ground, “Very well...” she uttered as he again went to leave, and she swallowed hard, “Goodbye, Hazel...”

“Goodbye, Coral.” he replied quietly, his face softening for only a moment, a shadow of wistfulness touching his features she didn't see. It was the first time he'd spoken her name aloud in years, the sound bitter and more painful than he wished on his tongue. With that he ducked out of a broken door and vanished into the night.

Then, and only then, did Coral allow herself to break, crumpling as she dropped to her knees, face buried in her hands as sobs wracked her body...

**THREE YEARS LATER**

The early spring morning had dawned cold, frost clinging to leaves and grass, even now still touching those in the shade. A fair-sized, fortified town bustled with the day's beginnings, the market swarming with shoppers haggling over goods, shops opening their doors, bars and restaurants welcoming the incoming crowds, numerous scents of coffee, bread and smoke mixing with those of the faint iron-like smell from Dust shops and electronics hubs and the general bustling of animal and human or Faunus activity. A few blocks from the center of this hub-bub, the residential areas were awakening at their own pace, people opening their windows as children spilled into the streets, laughing and chasing their friends as parents reminded them to be careful and back for lunch. 

Near the far edge of town, the houses grew further apart and the noise grew softer. At one of these houses, at the end of a lane and beside a small grove of cedars, a lone woman emerged slowly, shielding her eyes from the bright morning sun. She groaned and rubbed her face, pretty sure she had a hangover, yet chores still needed her attention.

Thus her day, like so many others they had started to blend together, began.

She piled her dishes into the sink and added soap then water to soak, then while waiting, hung her laundry from the day before on the lines that filled a section of her yard. After a light breakfast of coffee and slightly stale bread with jam, she grabbed her gardening tools and headed out to the modest patch of ground out back she'd been cultivating. It had taken a lot of work, but it was finally ready to start planting. With a worn leather satchel slung around her waist to hold supplies, she began to work from the end of one row to another, scattering seeds and gently pressing them into the damp, loose earth. 

The day was finally warming up more, the birds singing and chasing each other through the jewel-blue, sunlit sky, those last patches of frost melting away. She paused to take a break and stretched her back, leaning on her rake to take a good look around her. The breeze whispered through the trees, the curtains in the open windows of her modest but comfortable home and the laundry hanging to dry dancing with it. Turning her attention towards town, she gazed out over the sprawl of buildings and people as they went about their business, wondering as she sometimes did if she would ever truly feel like she fit in here. 

As she watched, a flash of movement caught her attention; a figure far in the distance was coming up the road that led to her house. Hers was not the only one on it, however the further they progressed the more she had a deep, instinctive notion that's where they were headed. They moved slowly, irregularly, and it was only when another person was near them did she realize; they were tall. 

Very, unusually tall. 

She gripped her rake tighter-no...no, it wasn't possible. Still they progressed, and by now she could tell they were moving so oddly because they were limping slightly, using what she could guess was a cane or crutch...and also that the wild, far-flung idea she had had was somehow miraculously, cursedly, strangely true.

At last, reaching the fence surrounding her plot, Hazel paused to lean on the open gate, readjusting his cane and staring at the ground, seemingly too tired, or too hesitant, to look up. She stood rooted to the spot not unlike the vegetables she'd been hoping to grow, heart pounding, dizzy, shaking, a million questions screaming in her mind; there was a ghost at her door, one she'd spent so long and worked so hard trying to forget, yet here he was, somehow, intruding upon the tiny, humble patch of ground she'd managed to scrape out for herself. She never thought she'd see him again, indeed he'd made it painfully clear they wouldn't. And yet...

After a time, in small increments, he raised his eyes to meet hers and her heart that had been racing so now nearly stopped. Behind those green-gold orbs she could see a terrible, deep sadness, one that spoke of loss and regret-she could also see the awkward uncertainty, evidently waiting for her to either welcome him in or send him away as he stood at the threshold, not daring to step past that literal and metaphorical barrier without her permission.

She quickly lost the internal war raging in her heart; she would have her answers but right now here he was, a baffling miracle she never thought she'd know and she would regret it forever if she didn't throw herself into it.

The rake she was holding fell from her trembling hands, her voice coming out in a strained crack.

“Hazel...?!”

Her eyes said all he needed to hear, and finally he stepped past her gate and moved closer, until he was a respectful several feet away.

He started to open his mouth to speak, the words he'd gone over in his head a thousand times catching in his throat now that she was here in front of him, and he closed it again in defeat. No, after their last encounter, after what he'd said, this first move was hers to make, whatever it may be.

That tiny, faint flame of hope she'd long ago buried in a safe corner of her soul now traitorously burst back to life. That part of her was overjoyed...while the rest of her churned with a storm of confusion, disbelief, and even a bitter streak of anger. Why? How?

“Y-you...” she stuttered, “What are you doing here?”

“I...I'm not sure, honestly...” Hazel finally said in that deep voice, so softly it was almost a whisper, “Hello again, Coral.”

“Hi...” she barked out a short, dry laugh, hating how the simple act of him saying her name stirred up such a flood of memories, “So...I thought we were never to cross paths again?”

“Yes...and at the time it was true...” his eyes slid away, guilt now joining the storm of emotions in them, “And then I realized, after some help from someone I never expected, that the path I was so sure of was leading me to a place I didn't want to be...”

He looked back to her, “I spent a lot of time wondering if I should, or had any right, to try and find you. Then it took months to track you down, and now...well, that's up to you,” he lifted the hand that wasn't holding his cane and gazed sorrowfully at it, “...there is so much blood on these hands but, if you still think they could hold you...they could try.”

She stared back at him, a thousand things swirling in the mess that was her mind at the moment; she wanted to sob with joy, with frustration, she wanted to ask him all the questions she'd never had a chance to, ask him new ones, tell him all she'd been through...

Her feet moving as if on their own, she stepped up to him and, as they had done many times so long ago, rested one hand over his heart. She had to squeeze her eyes shut for just a second to steady herself upon feeling that startlingly familiar warmth and drum-beat under her palm, fighting back her tears; no, not yet. His eyebrows raised a fraction, and he slowly mirrored her gesture, laying his hand over hers, Coral seeing some of the same slivers of hope she felt flaring to life in his gaze.

“As if mine are clean...” she answered, the ache of past sins heavy in her voice before a wisp of a smile touched her face, “Come inside...I'll put on some more coffee.”

Slipping her hand into his, seeing his face relax a little, they walked slowly into her home, by now the sun hitting the stained glass prism in her window and casting shimmering bits of iridescent color over them...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we are, at the end of the over one year journey it took me to write and edit this. Throughout it I have gone through a slew of serious life changes, but the one thing that remained constant was my desire to finish this project and make it as good as I possibly could. I do hope you've enjoyed the adventures, and misadventures, of my dear Coral and her dear Hazel. Though in the show he is gone, he will always live on in my, and Coral's, hearts.

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this for a couple reasons. One, because Hazel is my favorite character and he deserves so much more love and material than he's given. There's a great deal to him we don't know and I would love to see, however considering the pattern's we've seen with other characters I don't see this happening, so I've taken it upon myself to fill in the blanks. Two, when I came up with my OC, there was only one place I felt she needed to be, and that was with him-thus a small idea here and there, as many of my stories begin, soon turned into the work you are now reading, and I had to get it out of my head and onto paper (or, the screen). I hope you enjoy what my head and heart have made.


End file.
